Monrovia, August 13, 2024: A Liberian gospel musician based in the United States of America, Charles Sleyon, has unveiled a $1.2 million health facility in Morris Farm, Lower Margibi County.
The 100-bedroom hospital is about 75% complete and is expected to be dedicated in December 2024.
The hospital, when completed, will serve several towns and villages in and around the Unification Town areas and the Harbel community, respectively.
Sleyon said the hospital is named after his late grandmother, "Ma Juah", who had a passion to treat her grandchildren and anyone she noticed with a wound.
"The hospital will be called the Ma Juah Memorial Hospital, it's named after my grandmother, she had the passion to treat people with wounds even though she didn't know you," he narrated.
Speaking to journalists during a tour of the project, Sleyon said the construction of the facilities started two years ago and will be completed in December 2024.
While on the tour, he revealed his plans revolve around the vision for Ma Juah Memorial Hospital and a rural health facility. He emphasized the importance of prioritizing women and children's health and providing free treatment to patients.
Construction of the health facility in a rural area was also discussed, with a focus on ensuring quality healthcare and security measures to ensure patient and staff safety.
He said he has engaged the Ministry of Public Works to repair the bridge leading to the facility, saying, "he has also contracted security companies and the Liberia National Police to set up training for the hospital's security team."
He emphasized prioritizing treatment over payment at Ma Juah Hospital.
"Many hospitals prioritize payment over treatment, but our hospital will do it differently, if you are a patient, we will first treat you before asking for payment, if for any reason you don't have it to pay, we have a foundation that will take care of that," he said.
Mr. Sleyon explained that he got touched when he saw a pregnant woman struggling in pain as she headed to a distant health facility for treatment, something that prompted the project.
"When I saw that pregnant woman struggling going to the hospital walking long distance from the main road to hospital, I was touched, I had just gone in the area to see the land we supposed to construct our dream house on,"
He furthered explained: "I told my wife it's no need to build a mansion in the area that will not have impact on the community, that's how the ideal of constructing the hospital came about, we agreed that the facility be named after after my late grandmother (Ma Juah)," he noted.
Charles Sleyon dubbed as "The Servant of God", for his passion he brings to the gospel and Ministering through music.
During the tour, Mr. Sleyon told journalists that the project is a family initiative, describing the project as a state-of-the-art health facility that will serve not only the people of Liberia but one that will serve with difference.
Sleyon is a journalist, once practiced at the Royal Communications Incorporated, Kings Fm owned by former Liberian President George Weah.
He was quick to clarify his nationality apparently to clear doubts of rumormongers that the project was implemented by a foreign National.
"I'm a born Liberian, raised here, but fortunate to live and work in America. But still, my heart for Liberia beats faster, that is why instead of building a dream house, my family and I agreed to build a health facility," Sleyon explained.
He puts the project value at over US$1.2M dollars, and the land has been massively developed. Sleyon vowed to deliver to Liberians and make a difference. He said he doesn't want to compete with others, but he wants to see and rectify the minor errors that occur every day in health delivery to the Liberian people.
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He further explained that the facility will offer 24-hour services, emergency services, patient-centered care, pharmacy services, and specialized surgical services with exclusive emphasis on women and children.
"This is a 75-bedroom hospital, and we intend to do [the] majority of the services offered at medical facilities, which will include surgery, delivery, emergency, patient-centered care with premier care on women and children because they suffered a lot from poor delivery of health services," he indicated.
Sleyon also told reporters that the Ma Juah Hospital, when dedicated in December, will offer 90% employment to Liberians with the opportunity for foreign doctors from the USA to practice.
