By: Emmanuel Koffa |Grand Kru Correspondent
Barclayville City, Grand Kru County |May 10, 2026 |Serious questions are being raised over the state of emergency healthcare services in Grand Kru County after a pregnant woman was reportedly left stranded when an ambulance transporting her to J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital broke down during an emergency referral trip.
The incident reportedly occurred in Topoh Community, Barclayville, while the woman was being transported from Grand Kru to Maryland County — an estimated 85-kilometer journey that can take more than three hours because of poor road conditions.
Health authorities in the county confirmed the breakdown and said local residents and bystanders had to assist in securing a private vehicle to continue the patient’s transfer for urgent medical care.
The development has sparked criticism from residents, many of whom argue that emergency medical services in the county remain severely under-equipped despite repeated public concerns cum appeal for support relative to healthcare access in southeastern Liberia.
According to information gathered by this platform, Grand Kru currently has only one operational ambulance, while other county ambulances are reportedly damaged beyond repair.
Residents say the situation has left thousands of citizens vulnerable during emergencies, especially pregnant women, accident victims, and critically ill patients who often require referral services outside the county.
Sources also alleged that patients are frequently required to provide between 20 and 40 gallons of fuel before ambulances can undertake emergency trips — a practice many citizens describe as both burdensome and unsafe for poor families already facing medical hardship.
“This system is failing the people,” a frustrated resident said. “An ambulance should never break down during a life-threatening emergency, especially when it is the county’s only functioning one.”
The incident has now renewed calls for the Grand Kru County Legislative Caucus, the Ministry of Health, and international health partners to urgently invest in emergency transportation, road connectivity, and rural healthcare infrastructure.
Health officials confirmed that the pregnant woman was eventually transferred safely and is currently receiving treatment in Maryland County.
