Monrovia, Liberia – To save his life, veteran Liberian journalist Alex Yomah is begging for US$1,500 to travel to Ghana for advanced medical treatment. Former Inquirer Newspaper Senior Reporter Yomah is currently dealing with the debilitating effects of hypertension and a stroke at his Monrovia home.
If humanitarian organizations, government officials, or private citizens do not take immediate action to remedy his failing health, his life may be in danger. In 2023, Yomah fell severely ill after building a reputation that includes coverage of the Executive Mansion, the National Legislature, and other Liberian institutions. Since then, his health has substantially worsened.
Yomah’s condition has not improved despite admissions to the 14 Military Hospital and the John F. Kennedy Medical Center. Due to a lack of funds, the family can no longer afford regular medical treatment.
Although Yomah has received some assistance from the Executive Mansion Press Crop for his medicine, the Inquirer Newspaper, through Christiana Saywah Jimmy, its managing editor, has continued to pay Yomah a little stipend to aid with basic necessities, but it is far from enough. His wife, Josephine Yomah, is the only one responsible. She is pleading with authorities and the general public for immediate financial assistance.
In order to fly to Ghana, where he hopes he has a chance of recovering, Yomah is pleading for at least US$1,500. He said, “I will travel to Ghana for treatment if I can just get US$1,500.”
Mr. Yomah called on Former Monrovia City Mayor and current CDC Secretary-General Jefferson Tamba Koijee, Representative Clarence Gahr, former CDC Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu, and other former and current government officials to remember him during his time of need.
Yomah’s experience serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the unstable existence that many journalists in Liberia face. A medical emergency can swiftly turn into a death sentence if there is no institutional assistance or personal funds.
In recent years, far too many people have passed out, forgotten by the very society they once served, questioned, and educated. Nevertheless, Yomah remains optimistic. He remarked, “I think I can recover more strongly, but I need God’s assistance and the encouragement of good people.”
