On Thursday, December 19, 2024, a group of over 100 students from the A.M. Dogliotti School of Medicine and Pharmacy continued their protest for the second day, demanding the payment of stipends they had not received for five months.
The students, who have been without their US$200 monthly stipends since August 2024, gathered at the residence of President Joseph Boakai to voice their frustration.
Placards held by the protesters read messages like “Accountability starts with actions,” “We want our stipends!!!,” and “5 months no stipend! We are hungry!” Some also highlighted the urgent need for investment in medical education, with one placard stating, “Invest in medicine education; give our five months!!!”
This protest follows a similar demonstration on December 17, 2024, where students from the medical school rallied at the President’s home over the same issue. According to documents obtained by Verity, 440 students at the A.M. Dogliotti School of Medicine and Pharmacy have been affected by the stipend delay, with many expressing growing frustration over the lack of financial support.
The protest is part of wider discontent within the country’s healthcare sector, where medical professionals—from doctors to nurses to pharmacists—demand better wages and improved working conditions. The current UP administration, under President Boakai, is facing increasing pressure as protests intensify in the health sector.
In a related development, the Liberia Medical and Dental Association (LMDA) has rejected the government’s proposed salary increases for healthcare workers. On December 16, 2024, LMDA President Dr. Peter George called the proposed US$225 monthly increase for specialists and US$50 for nurses an “insult.” He emphasized that the increase does not adequately reflect the sacrifices made by healthcare professionals, stating, “Liberian doctors are officially assigned as managers but paid as janitors, yet bearing the burden of performing as managers.”
Dr. George also revealed that the LMDA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has submitted a proposal for the reclassification of salaries for specialists and consultants to the Ministry of Finance and the Civil Service Agency (CSA). The proposal, which calls for annual salary adjustments totaling US$800,000 for 90 specialists, has not been accepted by the government, which continues to insist on its more modest offer.
The LMDA has laid out several urgent demands, including the immediate implementation of salary reclassification, provision of essential medical supplies, housing and ambulances for healthcare workers in rural areas, and improved healthcare services, including better cancer treatment facilities and safe blood transfusion systems.
In the wake of these protests, healthcare workers in several counties have begun “go-slow” strikes. On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, G.H. Harley Hospital in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, and LGH Hospital in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, both saw widespread absenteeism as doctors and nurses stayed off duty in solidarity with the LMDA’s demands.
The LMDA has warned that if the government does not address these critical issues, Liberia’s healthcare system could face further collapse. Dr. George emphasized that healthcare workers, especially doctors, should not have to live in poverty. He concluded by urging the Ministry of Finance and the CSA to prioritize healthcare funding in the 2025 national budget, stating, “The government has enough resources to pay healthcare professionals if it truly values them as essential workers.”
