MONROVIA, Liberia, July 13, 2026 — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has ordered the immediate reopening of Phebe Hospital in Suakoko, Bong County, and established a special committee to address governance and management issues that led to the recent disruption of services at one of Liberia’s major referral hospitals.
The directive followed a high-level meeting at the Executive Mansion on Monday after the temporary closure of the hospital due to disputes over staff placement, management decisions, and salary disparities.
President Boakai said the government has a responsibility to ensure uninterrupted access to quality healthcare and expressed disappointment that internal disputes had resulted in the suspension of services at a key referral facility serving Bong County and the wider Central Liberia region.
“The health and well-being of our people must always come first,” the President said. “No disagreement should deny our citizens access to essential medical care. Hospitals exist to save lives, and every stakeholder has a responsibility to ensure that they remain operational.”
The President instructed all health workers to immediately return to work to restore full medical services and ordered the recall of three senior hospital administrators pending further administrative review. Those recalled are Medical Director Dr. Minnie Sankawulo-Ricks, Human Resource Director Jonathan Pewu, and Assistant Human Resource Director Peter Gbelawoe.
To address the underlying governance concerns, President Boakai established a Special Committee to be led by the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. The committee will include representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Lutheran, Episcopal, and United Methodist Churches, which jointly govern Phebe Hospital, along with other relevant institutions.
According to the Executive Mansion, the committee has been tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the dispute and recommending immediate, medium-term, and long-term reforms to strengthen the hospital’s governance, management, and operational effectiveness.
President Boakai also cautioned against political interference in the management of healthcare institutions, stressing that hospitals should remain focused solely on delivering quality healthcare.
“We must never allow politics to take root in our hospitals. Our focus must remain on delivering quality healthcare to the Liberian people,” he said.
The directives were announced during a meeting attended by Bong County Senator Prince K. Moye, Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, representatives of the governing churches of Phebe Hospital, Minister of State Without Portfolio Hadja Mamaka Bility, Senior Presidential Advisor Dr. Augustine Konneh, National Security Advisor Cllr. Samuel Kofi Woods II, Presidential Legal Advisor Cllr. Busheben Keita, and other senior government officials.
President Boakai urged all stakeholders to cooperate fully in implementing the measures, reaffirming that protecting the health and well-being of Liberians remains a central priority of his administration.
