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Time for Liberian Embassy
in Ghana to wake up to official responsibility
E. Ablorh-Odjidja
December 21, 2015
You might think people who get their drinks on silver
platter may care a little for the citizens that they are
supposed to represent abroad, especially indigents from
these countries who are in need of repatriation.
“Supposed to” is appropriate here, because of the Liberian
Embassy’s open neglect of a citizen currently residing at
Narh-Bita Hospital in Ghana.
This citizen, a former patient, now cured by the hospital
(thanks to the expertise and skill of the healthcare
professionals at Narh-Bita), is still languishing
unnecessarily in a ward at the hospital.
And the Liberian Embassy in Ghana, it seems, hasn’t given a
hoot about this poor citizen; though according to a
reference in a commentary posted on Ghanadot, titled
TANGO WITH AN ECOWAS EMBASSY, published November 06, 2015, the
Embassy has been contacted by the hospital.
This man, Moses Negbe, 54, an employee of Global Marine
Investment Limited (GMI), a Liberian stevedoring company, as
narrated by
Daily Guide on December 18, 2015, “was brought to the
facility by his employer, GMI after an accident on August
31, 2015 at a port in Liberia, which left him with a serious
spine injury.”
It happened that Negbe was crushed when a log from a crane
fell on him and a colleague while they were on the job at
the port in Liberia. The colleague died instantly.
Negbe is now restored to health. The excellent surgical work
and care by doctors and nurses at Narh-Bita worked. Yet, he
is still occupying a hospital bed that he doesn’t need. And
why?.
The man, though cured, apparently, cannot pay his bill.
And, it seems there is not a responsible soul at the
Liberian Embassy that would want to help; at least, to
convey the urgency of his need to their government or to
track his employer down, with pressure applied for Negbe's
repatriation or payment of his bills or both.
The Embassy remains uninterested in this example of
humanitarian, civic or official aspect of its duty. With the
disinterest, it has disowned Negbe.
Negbe is now a man without a country, pilling up hospitality
expenses at a hospital (not a hotel) in another country.
So this stellar healthcare story, a few of a kind, that
could have redounded to the advantage of the good healthcare
and surgical skills obtainable at Narh-Bita, has now become
a public relation nightmare.
Negbe and a care companion of his from Liberia are lodging
at a ward in the hospital for these past months, fed daily
at the mercy of the hospital – administration and staff
combined.
According to our reference, the Embassy made just one visit
to confirm Negbe's nationality. You would think after
confirming his nationality as Liberian, the coat and tie
officials at the Embassy would return; at least to say
thanks to the folks at the hospital and to ask for time to
arrange repatriation, even if not to pay the bill!
So ask what the purpose of an embassy is; specifically
speaking, its mission and goals and wonder if repatriation
of their indigent citizens is or should not be one of the
responsibilities?
Yet for months, the plight of Negbe, continues.
Apparently, Foreign Service types from Liberia, like others
in countries in Africa, do like the postings to foreign
addresses and the perks that come with the office but when
it comes to doing the job, it is another matter. They
often don't like that part one bit!
On the sidelines of this story are forgotten officials at
ECOWAS, AU and those from our own Foreign Affairs ministry
in Ghana that should be drawn into this story. It matters
that they are brought in.
To start with, foreign country representation demands
automatically a precept of good relations between host and
guest countries. And the continental governance intentions
of ECOWAS and AU require that inter-state business continue
to exist between countries.
So here is the Liberia Embassy, abusing hospitality and
inter-state commerce and continuing with its lack of
interest in this unfolding story in Ghana. Shouldn’t ECOWAS
or AU want to know why?
A
good talk with the Liberian ambassador in Ghana should
suffice.
This talk is needed because of the cruel neglect of a human
being; the stress the incident places on the finances and
goodwill of a medium size but excellent hospital and the bad
example this affair sets for the rest of Africa.
Essentially, the example undermines the health business as
an intra- continental commerce in Africa.
Perhaps, it’s about time for the Embassy to think of the
running of a hospital as a business. There is a running
cost part for the rent, and the expertise used at the
sickbay is trained or utilized at another level of expense.
If every hospital that delivers excellent care is left with
a healthy patient occupying a bed after the care is
delivered, how long does the Embassy suppose that this
hospital will survive, with doors opened wide for
reception of the sick?
Or how will it sound or look like if the next sick patient
from Liberia is turned back because of the Negbe’s
experience and that example causes other hospitals in Africa
to do the same?
The prospect will certainly not be good for the heath
industry in Africa as a business. And certainly not good for
the maintenance of a healthy image of Liberia.
Regardless, the negative impact from this story will fall
on all.
So, let’s help get Negbe back to his country, now that he is
pronounced healthy, instead of seeing him languishing
unnecessarily at the ward in Narh-Bita hospital. And since
he cannot do this on his own, I suggest the hospital should
give him a ride in an ambulance to drop him in broad
daylight at the Liberian Embassy door in Ghana.
The Narh-Bita management shouldn’t forget to invite the
foreign and local media for the event.
E. Ablorh-Odjidja, Publisher www.ghanadot.com, Washington,
DC, December 21, 2015.
Permission to publish: Please feel free to publish or
reproduce, with credits, unedited. If posted at a website,
email a copy of the web page to publisher@ghanadot.com . Or
don't publish at all.
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