A heartbreaking testimony has emerged from Kakata, Margibi County, where a grieving father, Pa Kollie, publicly accused medical staff at the C.H. Rennie Hospital of refusing to operate on his daughter because he could not immediately provide the full L$21,000 surgery fee.
Speaking during WONGOSO’s One-day Legislative Constituency Consultation With Lawmakers and Citizens, held under the Legislative Monitoring Coalition of Liberia (LEMCOL) Project, Pa Kollie recounted that the hospital demanded the full amount before initiating the emergency procedure his daughter needed to give birth.
According to him, he initially presented L$10,000, explaining that it was all he had at the time. However, he alleged that nurses and doctors rejected the partial payment and refused to treat his daughter until the balance was provided.
“She was in pain the whole time,” he told the gathering. “They said they would not touch my daughter until the money was complete.”
Pa Kollie said it was not until late in the evening, after his older daughter managed to raise and send the remaining L$11,000, that the medical team proceeded with the operation. By then, it was too late. Both his daughter and her newborn died during the procedure.
He condemned what he described as “pure wickedness” on the part of the hospital staff and called on the government to launch an immediate investigation and institute corrective action.
“The government needs to take action now,” he stressed, emphasizing that no family should lose a loved one because they cannot instantly afford a medical fee during an emergency.
The emotional account sparked concern among citizens and lawmakers in attendance, reigniting broader debates over the condition of Liberia’s healthcare system, emergency care protocols, and the ongoing complaints of extortion and negligence across public hospitals.
