At the inaugural edition of the Liberia Medical Excellence Award, Diana Sarteh was named Liberia’s best professional nurse for her impactful and invaluable contributions not only to the fight against Ebola between 2014 to 2016, and the just ended Coronavirus pandemic but for her numerous services to regional health crisis that spins nearly two decades.
Madam Diana Sarteh is nationally and internationally experienced, value-driven health care professional and Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer of the Republic of Liberia.
Dr. Shirley Helen, Chief organizer of the event, said Diana Sarteh’s selection among over 15,000 nurses across the country, stems from her bravery, commitment and dedication to providing healthcare services in the West African region at critical moment when global health interventions are needed most.
“We are not just honoring Diana tonight because she is the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer of Liberia and the sub-region of Africa. She has been very instrumental in providing services to our people at a moment where some professionals abandoned services to our people because for the fear for death, she stood her ground along with other professionals to save life during times,” the Shirley Group of Companies recounted at the award night on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
The event organizer also referenced Sarteh’s effort that led to Liberia’s delegation of nurses saving lives in Sierra Leone in 2021, when a fuel tanker collided with a lorry and approximately 98 people died.
“Her team’s interventions saved several patients who were under critical condition when they arrived in the Sierra Leonean Capitol, Free Town,” the group said while handing over the award.
Shirley Group of Companies: “She is a respected health leader and is the immediate past supervisor of the Jallah Medical treatment Center for sporadic Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and supervisor at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and the Ministry of National Defence Ebola ETU in 2014.
“Madam Sarteh played an instrumental role in leading the turnaround of both Ebola and Coronavirus that destroyed lives locally and internationally. As a member of the health sector for more than 19 years, Sarteh was named as Deputy Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer in 2018. She continued leading the national transformation upon her appointment to her most recent role as Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer of the Ministry of Health, in 2021. Her commitment to serving the health sector was recognized by several international media outlets and health partners. In her role, the Nursing and Midwifery Division set-up a mini clinic for staff of the Ministry of Health. This mini clinic is currently catering to several employees of the Ministry freely daily. As a professional and patriot, Diana Sarteh has contributed to the health sector immensely. Her national and international experience has given her appreciation for the value of diversity of thoughts and opinions.”
Response to the honored, the Liberia’s Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, lauded the organizer for bestowing such a huge and surprising honor on for serving her country.
“I see this as an inspiration for more contributions to my nation and the world at large,” Diana Sarteh vowed on Saturday.
Sarteh: “We want to dedicate this award to all our colleague frontliners who fight the pandemic and Ebola, alongside us during the critical moment of our country and regional public health’s history.
Many of our colleagues died in 2014 while fight to save lives of our people. I like to thank the organizer for recognizing what professional health practitioners in our region. They are the real heroes and heroines of this award.”
The Liberia Medical Excellence Award was organized by the Shirley Group of Companies in partnership with the Liberia Medical Dental Council (LMDC), and Ministry of Health (MOH).
By: Benjamin Q. Johnson, Contributor
