The Director of Nursing Services at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Mrs. Joana D. Joekai, has clarified that recent educational sessions conducted for nurses at the hospital were strictly “precautionary, and not linked to any confirmed Ebola case in the country.”
In a statement issued Monday, May 25, Mrs. Joekai, a wife of Civil Service Agency Director, Josiah Joekai, explained that the awareness and preparedness initiative was carried out as “part of my professional and ethical responsibility overseeing the ES Grant Memorial and Maternity Hospitals under the JFK Medical Center.”
Mrs. Joekai: “The training was to strengthen the readiness of nurses and ensure a safe working environment for both healthcare workers and patients in the event of any highly infectious disease outbreak, including Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).”
She said, Liberia’s painful past experience with Ebola, coupled with a recent alert from the Ministry of Health regarding reported Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, made it necessary for healthcare workers to remain informed and vigilant.
The training, she said, focused on patient triaging procedures, infection prevention measures, and the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), including impermeable gowns, double gloves, and face shields.
“It is important to clearly state that at no point during these educational engagements did I, or any member of my team, disclose or suggest that Liberia has any confirmed Ebola case.”
Mrs. Joekai said, only the Ministry of Health has the authority to declare confirmed Ebola cases, adding that the hospital’s actions were purely precautionary, and intended to improve preparedness in response to regional public health developments.
She reaffirmed the JFK Medical Center’s commitment to maintain high standards of patient care, safety, professionalism, and public health preparedness.
The clarification follows a recent news reports in which Madam Paula Bedell, who recently raised “false alarm” about suspected Ebola cases in Liberia, claimed that the information was revealed during an in-service meeting at the JFK.