At least 137 county, district, and zonal disease surveillance officers of the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) are threatening to back off if their demand of salary arrears and insurance are not met.
In a statement issued after a gathering on August 6, 2025, in Gbarnga, Bong County, the officers expressed deep frustration over what they described as continued neglect by NPHIL leadership.
“We, the disease surveillance officers from counties, districts, and zonal levels, met to address the persistent issues affecting our work. Despite multiple engagements with directors, including the Director General of NPHIL, our concerns remain unresolved,” the statement read.
The officers are demanding the immediate payment of operational support and salary arrears dating from October 2024 to August 2025.
They noted that the delay in payments has strained their credibility with vendors and service providers who have extended services on credit, expecting timely reimbursement.
“Surveillance officers have continued to perform under extremely difficult conditions, receiving minimal support. The ongoing failure to provide operational funds severely undermines our work,” they added, insisting that the matter is “non-negotiable.”
Another key demand is the formal integration of all county surveillance officers into the NPHIL payroll.
According to the officers, while they play a vital role in national disease surveillance, many remain excluded from the official payroll, a gap they say reflects poor administrative oversight.
They are also calling for district and zonal surveillance officers to be added to the NPHIL payroll, arguing that these officers are the frontline responders in disease monitoring and reporting.
Lastly, the officers are demanding that all surveillance personnel be placed on health insurance plans, citing the hazardous nature of their jobs and the increasing risks involved in public health response.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the National Public Health Institute of Liberia.
