- But Highlights Challenges
By. Jerromie S. Walters
Women in Liberia are demonstrating in every necessary way their unmatched ability to do the unexpected, as their contributions to the Liberian state in the most intrinsic ways are becoming extraordinary. This is because women’s contributions to the Liberian state in the most intrinsic ways are becoming extraordinary.
There is absolutely no exception to this thought when taking into consideration the pivotal role that Miss Comfort Saybah Zowulu played, who just recently brought relief to the people of Lofa County after the county’s only X-ray machine had been experiencing problems for several weeks.
After a mandatory suspension of X-ray services at the Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital in Lofa County for several weeks, there was no one better suited to be contacted than Miss Comfort Saybah Zowulu, who provided a solution to the problem that had been ongoing for several weeks in just a few hours. The problem had been affecting the hospital for several weeks.
Prior to her intervention, the only X-ray machine at the Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital was experiencing leakage and other problems that could not permit the conduct of an X-ray, and it became a huge challenge for residents of the county who needed the services. Her intervention has now resolved these issues, and the only X-ray machine at the hospital is functioning normally.
“I am the only female biomedical equipment technician in the county and in the Republic of Liberia as a whole. I am proud to say that I successfully repaired the X-ray machine, which is now operating normally and offering a variety of services in Lofa County”.
“The X-ray machine at the hospital was malfunctioning, so as the biomedical equipment technician assigned in the county, I was called. So when I got there, I troubleshot the machine, checked the tube, and checked the backup generator of the X-ray. So when I got there, I noticed that the sifter of the transformer was not tied properly, so based on that, it was leaking from the transformer area so the oil was pouring out. So with my technical knowledge, I was able to solve the problem”.
Medical X-ray machines are used in the health care industry for a variety of purposes, including the visualization of bone structures, the assistance of surgeons during surgeries (especially orthopedic surgeries) in reattaching broken bones with screws or structural plates, the assistance of cardiologists in locating blocked arteries and guiding stent placements or performing angioplasties, and the visualization of other dense tissues, such as tumors. Bone structures can be visualized using medical X-ray machines.
During the time period in question, the administration at Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital was required to contact foreign technicians from the countries of Guinea and Ivory Coast in the event that the X-ray machine required maintenance.
On numerous occasions, it has been asserted that the hospital will once again look for an additional solution, as they will be required to deal with the same issue just a few weeks after the repairs have been made.
The X-ray machine was not working properly before the intervention of the female technician, but it is operating normally now.
Miss Saybah Zowulu is the only female biomedical equipment technician in Liberia. She is currently serving as a member of the health team for Lofa County, more specifically in the department of health care technology and management.
“With the level of work I have done, I have passion for it, and I love doing what I’m doing, even though I’m a lady, but I’m extremely proud of it because it becomes a proud moment for me if I succeed, and it gives me the sense of understanding that we as women can do whatever men can do,” she remarked.
On the other hand, she urged women to cultivate an interest in biomedical science so that they could increase the space available to them as women and ensure that there would be women working in the field.
She pointed out the need for logistics, noting that it is a serious challenge to her work in the county, considering the fact that she is now responsible for responding to technical issues at all of the government hospitals in the county, which she said was one of the challenges she faces on the job. She was highlighting the difficulties she faces on the job.
“One of the challenges is the issue of the motorcycle; it’s a challenge for me because, as a lady, I think it’s unsafe for me to consistently use a motorcycle on that road, especially looking at the road conditions, and going along with my tools on the motorcycle is also a risk for me,” she said. “It’s a challenge for me because, as a lady, I think it’s unsafe for me to consistently use a motorcycle on that road, especially looking at the road conditions.
At the same time, she suggested that there should be a workshop station built in Lofa County so that medical equipment can be brought there to be serviced.
In addition, she demanded that the national government take measures to ensure that every piece of apparatus must be used in conjunction with its own individual stabilizer, rather than having multiple pieces of apparatus shared a single stabilizer.
Miss Comfort Saybah Zowulu begged the President to see reason and provide a vehicle for the biomedical team that was working in the county. The President agreed to her request,that is according to her.
In addition to increasing their salaries on the grounds that they are the pillows for the excellent services that doctors provide, particularly in situations where equipment is utilized.
The birth of Miss Comfort Saybah Zowulu took place at the Dougomai Town (Dougomai Clinic) location in Lofa County on January 8, 1992.
She received her diploma from St. Michael Catholic High School in 2009 and then attended the University of Liberia, where she majored in biology with a concentration in chemistry.
According to what can be deduced from the beginning of her academic journey, Miss Zowulu’s goal was to become a medical doctor; however, as life unfolded, she ended up working in the industry that she is currently in because it is one in which she is most at ease.
She received her education in Biomedical Equipment Engineering from the Kenya Medical Training College in Nairobi, Kenya, through the World Health Organization (WHO), and she has been employed by the Ministry of Health as the only female Biomedical Equipment Technician since 2018.
