Gbarpolu County Senator Amara M. Konneh has sounded the alarm over what he describes as a worsening crisis at Emirates Hospital, where critical shortages of electricity and medical supplies due to lack of funds put patients’ lives at risk.
Despite an approved budget of $350,000 for the facility in 2024, the hospital has received only $37,000—just 10.6% of its allocation.
In a communication to Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Konneh detailed his visit to the hospital on February 1, where he witnessed firsthand the dire conditions affecting both patients and healthcare workers.
Pharmacy shelves are empty, advanced medical equipment remains unused due to power shortages, and the hospital’s solar system shuts down at 9 PM, forcing patients to sleep outside in unbearable heat.
Essential hospital operations, including patient record management and the water supply system, have also been crippled by the lack of electricity. Konneh expressed frustration over bureaucratic bottlenecks at the Ministries of Health and Finance, which he says are obstructing the timely disbursement of funds and jeopardizing healthcare services.
The senator revealed that the situation has deteriorated further in 2025, with Emirates Hospital’s budget slashed to $150,000—a 57% reduction. He warned that this funding crisis is not limited to Gbarpolu, noting that major public hospitals, including John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Redemption Hospital, and Jackson F. Doe Hospital, face similar challenges.
Konneh has called for the immediate intervention of government officials, summoning the Ministers of Finance and Health to explain the drastic cuts and delays in fund disbursement. He is urging his colleagues to restore the hospital’s budget to its previous level, warning that without swift action, one of Western Liberia’s few advanced medical facilities could face total collapse.
