NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has ordered the immediate reopening of Phebe Hospital in Suacoco, Bong County, following a disruption of medical services caused by internal disputes over staff placement, management decisions, and salary disparities.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
The Executive Mansion says President’s intervention came after the matter was brought to his attention on Monday, July 13.
According to the presidency, during a high-level meeting with government officials, church leaders, and other stakeholders, President Boakai described the suspension of services at one of Liberia’s leading referral hospitals as unacceptable, stressing that access to healthcare must never be interrupted by administrative disagreements.
“The health and well-being of our people must always come first,” President Boakai said. “No disagreement should deny our citizens access to essential medical care. Hospitals exist to save lives, and every stakeholder has a responsibility to ensure that they remain operational.”
As part of his directives, the President ordered all health workers to immediately return to work to restore full medical services for residents of Bong County and neighboring counties.
He also ordered the recall of the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr. Minnie Sankawulo-Ricks, Human Resource Director Jonathan Pewu, and Assistant Human Resource Director Peter Gbelawoe, pending further administrative review.
To address the root causes of the crisis, President Boakai announced the establishment of a Special Committee led by the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.
The committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Lutheran, Episcopal, and United Methodist Churches which jointly govern Phebe Hospital as well as other relevant institutions.
It has been tasked with investigating the dispute and recommending immediate, medium-term, and long-term reforms to strengthen the hospital’s governance, management, and operations.
The President warned against political interference in the country’s healthcare system, emphasizing that the government’s foremost responsibility is to ensure uninterrupted delivery of quality medical services. “We must never allow politics to take root in our hospitals. Our focus must remain on delivering quality healthcare to the Liberian people,” he said.
The directives were issued during a meeting at the Executive Mansion attended by Bong County Senator Prince K. Moye, Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, representatives of the governing churches of Phebe Hospital, Minister of State Without Portfolio Mamaka Bility, Senior Presidential Advisor Dr. Augustine Konneh, National Security Advisor Cllr. Samuel Kofi Woods II, Presidential Legal Advisor Cllr. Bushuben Keita, and other senior government officials.
President Boakai reaffirmed that protecting the health and well-being of Liberians remains a top priority of his administration and called on all parties to cooperate in restoring normal operations at Phebe Hospital while implementing reforms aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across Bong County, Central Liberia, and the country as a whole.
