Even though Ebola is now under control in Liberia, the public health system is still experiencing the effects of loss of health care workers and the damage to the economy of the country.  Women with complications of pregnancy, newborn infants and children with life-threatening illnesses still have extremely limited access to medical care. 

MCAI has been working in Liberia for three years, providing training, supplies and medicine for strengthening maternal, neonatal and child health care.  There is a serious shortage of doctors. Prior to Ebola, more than three quarters of those trained locally have left Liberia to practise in Western countries*.  During Ebola more doctors were driven out of Liberia and some died.

In partnership with the Liberian Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation, we are helping to provide sustainable staffing and skill levels.  In particular, MCAI is expanding its training of midwives in advanced obstetric techniques, including surgery.   

MCAI trained midwives and the consultant obstetrician supporting them provided an emergency service during the Ebola crisis, and we now aim to further strengthen this programme, increasing the number of trainees in four hospitals and supporting the hospitals involved. 

Pictured above are the MCAI midwife trainee surgeons working in a Liberian hospital.  They are performing a life saving Caesarean section.

*http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001513

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