Africa-Press – Liberia. Former Montserrado County Senatorial candidate Bernard Benson has donated a huge consignment of medical supplies to enhance the adequate dispensation of healthcare delivery services to less fortunate and underprivileged citizens in Montserrado County and other parts adjacent, with a call for huge investment in the country’s health sector.
Mr. Benson, who is commonly known as “DJ Blue” is the owner of Hott FM radio stations in Monrovia and other parts of the country.
He presented a consignment of medical supplies worth over US$350,000 to members of his “The Blue Foundation” to efficiently and effectively run a free ambulance.
Mr. Benson, through his foundation, donated the ambulance to a group named and styled ‘KAPAO KAPAO’ in 2017 in a bid to help buttress the efforts of government in the health sector.
The materials donated include: several boxes of first aid medicines, ambulance bed, oxygen tank and mask assembly, wheel chairs and crutches, among others.
Making the presentation of the medical supplies in Monrovia recently, Mr. Benson disclosed that the move was in continuation of his uncompromising and continuous support towards the improvement of healthcare delivery across the most populated county in Liberia-Montserrado.
He observed that most often less fortunate Liberian citizens who are ill, especially pregnant women, do not have the financial strength as compare to other government officials and others to transport themselves from their homes to seek medical care at various hospitals and clinics in the county.
He added that as a result of this, some of these citizens are constrained to give up the ghost, while others complications worsened due to the lack of a functional ambulance service to take them for treatment in a timely manner.
Mr. Benson noted that though government is trying its best to help improve the country’s health system, well-meaning Liberians and others should also see the need to extend helping hands to others who are in dire need of medical attention.
“We as a foundation have decided to make this little donation as our own way of giving back and buttressing the efforts of our government and international partners to make sure that all Liberians have the opportunity to seek medical attention in a timely manner. Though others have means of getting to the hospital or clinic, many of our less fortunate citizens cannot transport themselves for treatment due to the lack of finances”.
He pointed out that the donation of the first aid materials and other essential medical supplies for the operation of the ambulance will help ease the burdens and provide first aid treatments to patients who are being transported to the nearby hospital or clinic.
Mr. Benson emphasized that his decision taken to donate and run a free ambulance service was triggered as a result of the huge challenges confronting Liberia’s health sector.
He added that despite being an aged-old country, Liberians continue to struggle to ride commercial motorbikes, tricycles or vehicles to and from the clinics or hospitals.
He said many of these patients are constrained to do so because of the lack of free ambulance services in the country to guarantee the administering of first aid treatment and their timely arrival at health facilities for treatment.
“Some of these patients died even before they get to the hospital because there is no free ambulance service available to take time there on time. We have realized that and therefore, we have decided to keep this ambulance service functional at all times”.
Mr. Benson urged the management of the free ambulance service to utilize the drugs and medical equipment donated for the intended purpose.
He, however, underscored the need for investment in the health sector of Liberia.
According to him, the proper dispensation of healthcare delivery to citizens, especially those in the leeward areas remains a challenge in the post-conflict nation, and as such, well-meaning Liberians both home and abroad, foreign friends, partners and philanthropic organizations should come to the rescue of the citizens.
Mr. Benson further vowed to continue to contribute his “widow’s mat” to all sectors of the country as part of his efforts towards the betterment and transformation of Liberia and its citizens.
For their part, the management of the “DJ Blue” Foundation commended their President/CEO for the gesture.
They observed that for several decades, Mr. Benson has been very passionate of extending helping hands to needy Liberians.
They recounted his immense contributions towards improving the musical skills and talents of young Liberians, empowerment of scores of others through the provision of jobs and scholarship opportunities, among others as some of the “footprints” of “DJ Blue”.
They promised to intensive their efforts to continue to save lives across Montserrado and its environs and use the medical supplies donated for the purpose intended.
Some of the patients who benefitted from the free ambulance service being operated and supported by Mr. Benson extended thanks and gratitude for the services rendered.
“After standing in the darkness for almost three hours looking for car, it was only by the mercy of God when someone we knew called Mr. DJ Blue to send his ambulance for me and my sister around 2AM in Paynesville. They drove and came for us at the time I was already given up and wanted my sister to take me back home. We appreciate his efforts and God will bless him plenty”, Annie Martor, an elderly woman stated.
Francis Nyumah: “DJ Blue is a good man; though I don’t know him from anywhere but when my wife was sick and I never had anything-he brought his ambulance and took my wife to the hospital. He didn’t stop there; he also pay the medical bills of my wife at the hospital”.
The re-emergence of the free ambulance being operated and support by Mr. Bernard Benson comes in the wake of recent pronouncement made by Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, calling on Liberians and others to provide fuel for ambulance services being rendered by the government.
Dr. Jallah was heavily criticized for making the pronouncement.
Despite the criticisms, she justified that there is nowhere in the world ambulance service is totally free, and as such, relatives and loved ones of sick persons should be willing to buy fuel for the government-run ambulance services.
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