Project Overview

ELWA hospital (owned and operated by Serving In Mission (SIM) Liberia has operated a dedicated and highly subsidized pediatric department (ELWA Children) since 2019, offering free medical care to malnourished children and very low cost care to children under 5. The priority is to treat those from the poorest areas and the most vulnerable children, with a special focus on malnutrition, unwell newborns, children aged under five and staff development through the Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT) plus training. This training is being extended nationally in collaboration with the ministry of health.

 

Location

Located along the coast of West Africa, Liberia is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire, and currently has one of the highest child mortality rates globally. The hospital is located in the capital city of Monrovia but training also occurs in villages farther interior. Many children are referred to the hospital from more remote counties.
 

Project Start & Partners

CRWRF has been supporting the hospital through SIM (Serving In Mission) since March 2023.  

 

Project Details

In collaboration with the ministry of Health of Liberia, and with support from other partners, the hospital operates a 16 bed inpatient feeding program for the most malnourished children. The ward has all the medication and supplies needed, with a full oxygen system and most importantly dedicated, highly trained and compassionate staff.  
 
Children who are more stable can be treated in the outpatient feeding clinic. These children come every week for regular weighing and medical treatments.  All care is given to these children for free. The under 5 clinic also provides a way for unwell children to be seen quickly and by highly trained staff members, and if necessary be admitted to the ward. The clinic treats a variety of conditions including malaria, respiratory conditions, diarrhoeal illnesses and conditions affecting newborns. The outpatient feeding program is also hosted there.
 
In addition to the inpatient feeding unit, there is an inpatient paediatric ward for the most unwell children, comprising 14 beds, as well as a newborn care space with 7 beds and one incubator. On top of this there is a paediatric emergency room comprising 20 beds, giving a total capacity of 58 beds.CRWRF initially provided emergency funds to purchase medicines such as anti-malarials, and other basic supplies such as gloves and is currently funding four nurses to work in the pediatric ward of the hospital.
 

Highlights

Challenges
ETAT Training in other villages
Many lives of young children saved
ELWA pediatric department currently hosts the largest malnutrition program in Liberia

 

 

 
It is always difficult to acquire the medicines and supplies needed to run a pediatric ward
The sheer numbers of patients  
Finding and retaining good staff

 

 

How can you support this project?

Support the children by emailing Erica Feunekes at admin@crwrf.ca  or donate here.