Pope Francis Donates Medical Equipment to Catholic Hospital Fighting COVID-19 in Liberia

“We are grateful to the Holy Father for this donation,” CABICOL Secretary General, Fr. Dennis Cephas Nimene told ACI Africa Friday, August 27.

Fr. Nimene recalled that at the “onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis donated ventilators and cash of €40,000 to support the Catholic Church in Liberia.”

“These last donations are a continuation of that supportive solidarity,” the Liberian Priest added.

He went on to explain, “The St. Joseph Catholic Hospital is the only Catholic referral Hospital among the 22 health facilities run by the Catholic Church. It is managed by the St. John of God Brothers.”

Fr. Nimene recalled that the “entire staff (Religious Brothers and Sisters) including nurses fell prey to the Ebola Virus in 2014. Since then, efforts are being made to adequately prepare staff and equip the Hospital.”

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Archbishop Dagoberto Campos Salas unveils the Pope's donation. Credit: CABICOL

Liberia has recorded at least 5,459 cases of the novel coronavirus including 148 deaths and 2,715 recoveries.

In the August 27 interview with ACI Africa, Fr. Nimene said the “Catholic Church has been carrying out COVID-19 vaccination campaigns encouraging citizens to get the jabs.”

In July, the director of the hospital, Br. Peter Lansana Dawoh, provided a comprehensive update on efforts of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital and its staff in fighting the third wave of COVID-19. 

The report contains information on donations received during the period from its partners, philanthropists and some agencies of the government of Liberia, including the office of the president.

Credit: CABICOL

“The staffs have been very pragmatic in the care and management of these patients. People who have seen and witnessed the effort of the hospital in the care and management of the patients suffering from this third wave of COVID-19 have been very supportive,” Br. Dawoh said in the report.

The gesture of the Holy Father to the Church in Liberia comes weeks after a similar donation was extended to Eswatini’s Manzini Diocese.

The August 11 donation saw Pope Francis donate medical equipment to the Good Shepherd Catholic Mission Hospital of Eswatini’s lone Diocese, Manzini, to help in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.