He explained that more than 25 of the 32 health facilities, including the St. Timothy Government Hospital in Robertsport, the county’s referral hospital, are yet to reopen due to lack of manpower.

He attributed this to the abandonment of health facilities in the county by nurses and other health practitioners for fear of their lives in the wake of the Ebolaa outbreak.

Dr. Garbo said the continued closure of hospitals and clinics is creating a complete setback to the county’s health sector, noting that curable diseases that could be handled by professional health workers are now claiming lives in the county.

He said series of appeals made to the staff of the facilities by the county health team to return to work have so far proved futile as they continue to stay away.

He said most professional health practitioners in the county are seeking employment with health-related non-governmental organizations for better incentives.

Meanwhile, Dr. Garbo has disclosed that because of the abandonment of hospitals by medical practitioners, the CHT has finalized plans to recruit trained health workers for the urgent reopening of health facilities in the county in the interest of the citizens.

Dr. Garbo pointed out that that the constant closure of health facilities could further spread the Ebola virus in the county, noting that no country can succeed in the fight against Ebola when its health facilities are not functioning.
LINA DIR/TSS/PTK