Monrovia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has reported significant progress in Liberia’s health sector, highlighting improvements in maternal health, immunization coverage, infrastructure development, and data-driven decision-making during his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered at the House of Legislature.
According to the President, maternal deaths declined nationwide over the past year, while immunization coverage for children under one year of age reached 88 percent. He also disclosed a dramatic reduction in medicine stockouts, which fell from 95 percent to just 5 percent.
President Boakai praised Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for its continued support to Liberia’s immunization program. He noted that with Gavi’s assistance, the country expanded vaccine access, improved public health outcomes, and, for the first time in ten years, met all its co-financing commitments.
The President also pointed to notable strides in addressing long-standing infrastructural challenges in the health sector. Reconstruction of the C.H. Rennie Hospital in Margibi County is underway at a new site in Kakata, with plans to include a midwifery school as part of the upgraded facility.
In addition, construction of a Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Bensonville has reached 75 percent completion, while work on the Regional Diagnostics Center in Bong County is now 85 percent complete. To strengthen human resource capacity, a new midwifery training program has been launched at Bomi Community College, and funding has been allocated to ensure the smooth operation of ELWA Hospital.
Emphasizing the importance of data in health planning and emergency response, President Boakai announced the establishment of the National Health Intelligence Center. He said the system is already yielding results, citing recent data showing a 7.6 percent increase in tuberculosis notifications, alongside a 28 percent decline in incidence and a 49 percent reduction in mortality.
The President further disclosed intensified efforts to combat drug abuse across the country. Liberia has launched its first National Anti-Drug Action Plan, designed to reduce both the demand and supply of illicit drugs. By the end of the year, more than 800 at-risk youth had been enrolled in recovery programs.
President Boakai reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the health sector as a cornerstone of national development, stressing that sustained investment and partnerships remain critical to improving the well-being of all Liberians.
