The Latest from Phebe Hospital
November 2004 update
(Click here for September-October 2004 update)

Hospital Renovation
Renovation of Phebe Hospital is continuing, but completion now is not expected until late December. Jim Powell, who has served as the “clerk of works,” was expected to leave Liberia on 29 November. He developed a detailed “punch list” for the contractor. An architect from Monrovia will be following up with completion.

Phebe applies for Danish grant to restore School of Nursing
When Phebe hospital was evacuated in March 2003 because of the war, its School of Nursing was also evacuated and moved to a temporary location. When staff returned to the Suakoko campus in June 2004, the Nursing School was as badly looted as the hospital. While 16 nursing students have now moved back to Phebe, they are being trained under very difficult circumstances. The classrooms and dormitory buildings need extensive repairs before they can be occupied again. The students have to now stay with relatives or friends, often far away from the school. They have no electrical light to use for studying, and most of the equipment and teaching aids have been destroyed or stolen.
The Phebe Administration have now completed a grant application to the Danish Evangelical Mission for $300,000 to renovate the nursing school building, including classrooms, laboratory, dormitory and staff houses for instructors. If the project is approved, it will allow the nursing school to reopen with 80 new students and let the 16 senior students graduate. It is hoped that government funds will be able to help support the school in future years.

In anticipation of an early January funding decision by the Danish government, ELCA volunteer Gary Winters is planning to be at Phebe by 12 January to provide oversight as the “clerk of works” for the three-month renovation project. Gary has worked several stints in Liberia as a construction supervisor and engineer over the past years with ELCA Upper Susquehanna short-term volunteer work groups.

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Phebe Hospital continues its journey toward full restoration

Excerpts from reports of David P. Jones, Administrator, September-October 2004

Phebe's reconstruction is a marvel of partnerships. Government agencies, secular  non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Lutheran groups collaborating to assist Phebe in  its reconstruction. The United States Agency for international Development (USAID) has  provided $108,000 through the Lutheran World Relief to purchase three generators and  electrical distribution components for Phebe. The contract purchasing those generators was  signed on 15 September. The arrival and installation of those generators is expected to be  completed by the end of October. These generators will produce sufficient power for the  renovated hospital.

Phase I of III renovations of the hospital is moving along. Construction began in mid-July  and is scheduled for completion at the end of October. The Danish Evangelical Mission (DEM)  provided approximately $225,000 for the renovation and rehabilitation of the main portion of  the hospital building. Every day Phebe staff and patients hear the sounds of Phebe rising as  the construction proceeds.

The talking drums are also emanating from the now-dry water tower. An ELCA-sponsored  volunteer from the United States, Dr. Elaine Riegle, has been working inside the tower to  repair bullet holes by hammering wooden plugs into the holes. The banging echoes throughout  Phebe. It tells the story of running water coming soon to the hospital.

On 15 September an agreement was signed with the French NGO Action Contre le Faim  (ACF-Action Against Hunger) to clean and chlorinate Phebe's deep water wells. The  redevelopment of those wells was completed on 24 September. The completed action then  triggered the European Union (EU) to provide funding for the purchase and installation of  submersible pumps for the wells.

The EU has also been providing funds for the renovation of staff housing at Phebe.  Currently, 20 housing units have been or are being renovated. The EU has also funded a  Management Study of Phebe to help develop alternative approaches to self-sufficiency.

There are still more projects waiting to be started. Among them is an $800,000 proposal to  USAID for funds to expand the renovation of the hospital from the main body of the hospital to outlying wards. Phebe administration and LWR are writing the proposal which should be  submitted yet in October.

In addition to the reconstruction of the hospital itself, Phebe's School of Nursing is also  in need of renovation. Once again, the Danish Evangelical Mission (DEM) is the pivotal  player in this renovation proposal, to be submitted by the Phebe Administration to DEM  by 1  November for an early January funding decision by the Danish government. If approved, as  anticipated, the three month renovation project would begin mid- to late January. The  funding would include building reconstruction/renovation, office and classroom furniture,  salaries, lab equipment and educational materials.

In the midst of all of this work, a third shipping container in three weeks arrived at Phebe on 5 October. The latest was sent by USAID and contained donated medical supplies from MedShare International. Fortunately, this container was released quickly by Liberian  customs.

Donations of medical equipment and supplies have been overwhelming (both literally and  figuratively). Major surgical equipment donations (e.g. three anesthesia machines, large  operating room lights and high quality gurneys) from one donor has substantially reduced  Phebe's requirements. Amounts of supplies have been such that storage is becoming a crucial  issue. In future months, Phebe will be working to establishing a better system of inventory.   At least two additional supply containers are expected late this year, from groups in Cedar  Rapids, Iowa and Upper Susquehanna Synod in Pennsylvania.

In terms of patient services, Phebe is currently receiving 100-120 outpatient visits daily.  With 77 beds currently available, it has a regular occupancy of 65-70 in-patients, though at  times this has been as high as 80.

On 10 September, a graduating class of 16 nursing students received their caps and badges at  Phebe.  This is a class that assisted in evacuating patients, returned to service at Phebe  and continued their studies.  Hopefully a number of these graduates will join the staff at  Phebe, which is facing a nursing shortage as well as housing for them.  There are only  enough nurses to run two shifts of 10-12 hours each.  In addition, nurses are being hired  away by NGOs because the NGOs are able to offer better salaries. The administration is  identifying options for reducing workload and number of hours worked.  One option suggested  was to "pool" the various wards and the nurses could then run 3 shifts. 

David Jones writes: "The constant theme of the people of Liberia is peace and  reconciliation. These partnerships and collaborative works demonstrate that theme. There are  so many combinations of nationalities, ethnicities, churches and governments. In the very  short time I have been in Liberia I have met, talked with, worked with or interacted with  Liberians, Americans, French, Belgian, German, Swedish, Bangladeshi, Pakstani, Lebanese and  Russian people.  I have worked with Lutheran entities, secular NGOs, and agencies of the  United States and European governments.  Among all these disparate peoples and groups there  is but one theme: assist the Liberian people in the quest of reconstruction and  reconciliation. And so, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is there."