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ARTHINGTON, Montserrado County – A new health facility in Arthington is set to ease decades of hardship for residents of 37 rural communities who have long faced long, dangerous journeys to reach medical care.
Refuge Place International officially dedicated the Arthington Clinic this week, placing maternal and child health services within reach for people in Quize’s Town and surrounding areas of District 17’s rural Montserrado. The clinic sits more than 2.5 kilometers from the nearest government hospital, a gap that has cost lives.
From Loss to Action
The project traces back to 2017, when a young woman died in childbirth while being transported to a hospital.
“We built this clinic because a woman died on the way,” said Franzetta F. Yanford, Chief of Staff at Refuge Place International Liberia. “The nearest clinic was a 2.5 km walk to the road, then an hour by vehicle. By the time they arrived, she was gone.”
The facility was completed through RPI’s community co-investment model, with input and materials from local women, men, and youth. In addition to the clinic, the site includes a hand pump, with plans underway for staff housing and a maternal waiting home.
Government and Community Response
Ministry of Health representative Dr. G. Gobee Logan said the clinic addresses a critical gap in rural Liberia, where nearly half the population lacks access to healthcare. He urged residents to take ownership and help maintain the facility.
“Your voices matter in keeping this running,” Logan told the crowd, noting that the ministry is working with partners like RPI to lower maternal and neonatal deaths.
RPI Technical Advisor Dr. Adams Lincoln stressed that retaining health workers is key to the clinic’s long-term success. “People die prematurely from the distance alone. The community must support these workers so they stay,” he said.
Local Impact
For women in the area, the clinic ends a grueling routine of being carried for hours in hammocks to reach care. Chairlady Memah Moore said the walk to Arthington often took four hours, with some women giving birth on the road.
Traditional midwife Bandu Kamara called the new facility “a rescue,” describing years of traveling long distances, sometimes at night, before being referred to Redemption Hospital.
RPI’s Track Record
Founded in 2009 by Dr. Mosoka Fallah, Refuge Place International runs a replicable model for maternal, newborn, and child health in underserved areas. Since opening its first clinic during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, the organization says it has treated over 600,000 patients, with no home deliveries and no maternal deaths recorded in its catchment zones.
The Arthington Clinic is RPI’s sixth in Liberia. The organization also operates in Montserrado, Bong, Bomi, and Lofa counties.
