Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., Director-General of Liberia’s Civil Service Agency and Chairman of the Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA), showcased Liberia’s transformative civil service reforms during the Second Africa-Caribbean Ministers of Health Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Ministry of Health, CARICOM, HeDPAC, and the African Union Commission co-hosted the event.
Dr. Joekai emphasized Liberia’s successful measures to eliminate ghost workers and enhance payroll controls, which, by the end of 2024, resulted in savings of $8.2 million. These funds have been reinvested in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and security, highlighting the importance of reducing waste to foster efficiency and accelerating progress toward Universal Health Coverage.
Significantly, Dr. Joekai reported that various categories of health professionals, including community health supervisors and medical workers, are now integrated into Liberia’s civil service payroll system. This integration aims to promote health equity and ensure fair compensation for front-line workers, enhancing state legitimacy.
As Chairman of HaPSNA, Dr. Joekai presented a continental model designed to address workforce challenges in the health sectors across Africa. Initiated in March 2024, HaPSNA facilitates collaboration between Ministries of Health and Civil Service Agencies to tackle issues such as ghost workers and improve community health worker professionalization. In a significant development, member states endorsed a Policy Package at the June 2025 meeting in Kigali to strengthen national Community Health Programs and established a Maturity Index to evaluate and enhance CHW integration.
Dr. Joekai stressed the need for collaboration between Ministries of Health, Civil Service, and Finance to ensure the sustainability of these reforms. He advocated for aligned salaries, career pathways for community health workers, and robust data systems integrated within national human resources frameworks.
The Liberia and HaPSN models received enthusiastic support at the Addis Ababa gathering, recognized as practical and replicable pathways for advancing health sector reform across the continent.
