By: Cooper K. Sangar Jr.
MONROVIA – Liberia woke up to heated discussions on social media following the circulation of a newly released service price list from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center (JFK), the country’s premier government referral hospital.
The release, which took effect on August 1, 2025, has sparked widespread public concern, particularly over the costs associated with cesarean section (C-section) deliveries and the hospital’s new mandatory deposit policy.
According to the document, patients undergoing C-section procedures are required to pay the following fees: Admission (1–5 days) – $25, Caesarean section – $90, Intra-operative medications and medical supplies – $65 and Routine lab tests – $20
In addition, the hospital mandates that all charges be deposited in advance. Receipts must be submitted and filed in patients’ charts before they are taken to the operating theater or assigned a ward.
The list also specifies that routine lab tests include: CBC (Complete Blood Count), U/A (Urinalysis), M/S (Microscopy) and Blood Grouping
The policy has provoked swift and intense backlash, with critics warning that such financial demands could delay urgent maternal care and potentially endanger the lives of mothers and their babies—especially among low-income families.
Wontoe Teah Wontoe, a vocal critic of the ruling establishment, condemned the policy on his official Facebook page, writing:
“This is not healthcare reform. It is the commercialization of public medical services, and the cost is being paid by mothers and newborns.”
He further demanded the “immediate suspension of the BK Pharmacy agreement,” calling on the Ministry of Health and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to launch an independent investigation.
Wontoe insisted that patients who were overcharged or denied care must be refunded and that all third-party contracts at JFK should be publicly disclosed and audited.
In response to the public outrage, Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence also took to Facebook, strongly condemning the policy and signaling legislative action.
“We have started to intervene in this. No woman in labor pain should have to pay a deposit before admission at any government hospital in Liberia. Services should be provided immediately upon arrival. Delivery is an emergency,” she wrote.
The announcement has reignited calls for maternal healthcare services—particularly emergency procedures like C-sections—to be fully subsidized in public hospitals.
Many citizens argue that no woman should face financial barriers when seeking life-saving medical care.
Senator Karnga-Lawrence assured the public of the Legislature’s commitment to resolving the issue promptly, emphasizing the need for urgent reform in maternal health policies across Liberia.
