We stepped out of the airport into the blazing hot sun. We were quickly ushered through immigration and customs. Apparently Dr. Lily Sanvee, our host and the hospital director, had notified someone about our arrival, so we had no hang ups in getting through. The doctor and two vehicles were there to escort us and our volumes of luggage to the hospital compound. We are staying in two bungalows equipped with bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen and living room. We take care of our morning and noon meals and Dr. Sanvee’s sister, Margaret cooks our evening meals. Over the compound fence is the Atlantic Ocean, so there is a pleasant breeze most of the time. It is the usual tropical humidity, but not unbearable. I have to admit we don’t have to sleep under mosquito nets either as our house is equipped with air conditioning. We are in the lap of luxury compared to our surroundings.
On Monday we had a tour of the hospital and later had a driving tour of Monrovia. We visited Star of the Sea Clinic which is located in West Point, a small area of the city where 70 – 80,000 displaced people live. Lots of standing water, corrugated metal roofing over makeshift rooms and something for sale in front of each one, even if it was only a few plantains or a day’s worth of palm oil, everyone has something to sell. When driving through the city, you saw all kinds of government buildings, lots of NGO’s (non government organizations), many other buildings (some were only shells and others that have been rebuilt) and stores, and people everywhere, most on foot, but many on motorcycles and in cars.
As in many third world countries, Liberia is one of stark contrasts. Even the very poor have cell phones and there are scratch cards (phone cards) for sale everywhere. Clean water and electricity are scarce, yet hospitals are open 24 hours a day. It amazes me what can be done with few resources. I have seen labor and delivery rooms that look like prison cells (so stark and filled with ancient equipment), but compared to the services in outlying areas, the women using them probably feel grateful.
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