Chinese to Build Liberia’s First Post-War Cardiology Unit

A team of medical professionals from China has committed itself to construct a Cardiological Unit in the country, which is expected to be the first in the country's post-war history.

The unit, according to the China Medical Team (CMT) and the authorities at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center, will be constructed on the premises of the nation’s premier referral hospital.

The CMT is a longstanding team of Chinese healthcare professionals making significant impacts in healthcare services in many parts of Africa and elsewhere.

On Wednesday, February 8, the team held handover ceremonies at the JFK, where they donated medical supplies and equipment for use in the cardiology unit expected to be constructed and soon begin operations at Liberia’s biggest hospital, situated in Sinkor.

JFK's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jerry Fahnloe Brown, officially signed a memorandum of understanding with authorities of the Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital located in the People's Republic of China.

The MOU, known as the “Cardiology Cooperation Project,” will seek to build an independent Cardiology Unit at the JFK Medical Center with a capacity of twelve (12) beds — eight ordinary beds and four monitoring beds.

The Project will also provide training for four doctors of Cardiology and four specialized Nurses. The purpose of the specialized training is to enable JFK to have a professional team of Cardiologists, the MOU says.

Dr. An Liping, a Cardiologist from the Cardiovascular Center of Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, said the cardiology unit will be staffed with well-trained doctors and specialized nurses in the first three years of the team’s operation.  

“In this partnership, the China Medical Team will establish a sound Cardiology system and relevant diagnosis and treatment procedures,” she said. “We will also be able to render better health management for chronic diseases  such as hypertension and carry out diagnosis and treatment for common, acute and critical Cardiology diseases.”

The Cardiovascular Center of Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, from whence Liping comes, has established professional discipline for more than one hundred years–forming a complete system of management, treatment,  teaching and scientific research. The hospital has also cultivated many professional Cardiovascular physicians.

Chinese Ambassador, Ren Yisheng, at the occasion outlined the many developmental initiatives his government has undertaken in Liberia, while also pledging the Chinese government's commitment to rendering more assistance to the Liberian government in the area of Health, Education and Infrastructure.

Meanwhile, as a result of the “Cardiology Cooperation Project”, the Chinese Medical Team also donated medical equipment and supplies to the Management of the JFK Medical Center.

Dr. Jerry F. Brown, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JFK Medical Center lauded the Chinese counterparts for the donation and expression of willingness to build a functioning cardiology unit at JFK. 

Brown said the partnership with Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital began two years ago through a request for the establishment of a sister relationship between the Liberian hospital and the Chinese hospital.

“Whatever we are doing here today is going to gladden the President of Liberia. His interest is that we reduce referral out of Liberia,” he said, adding, “With the coming in of these materials and the proposed training, we may no longer have to send our doctors and nurses for training in different countries.

Brown said the new cardiology department, when complete, will improve service at JFK, noting that “there are so many people living with different heart diseases and being able to diagnose each appropriately is going to be an advantage.”

He assured the Chinese counterparts of his office's commitment to work with them in order to see the cardiology unit back in service at JFK.