By 
MONROVIA, Liberia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has ordered the immediate reopening of Phebe Hospital in Suacoco, Bong County, and suspended three senior managers following a dispute that led to the temporary shutdown of one of Liberia’s principal referral hospitals.
The President’s directive came Monday after a high-level meeting at the Executive Mansion with key stakeholders. The hospital’s closure was triggered by disagreements over staff placement, management decisions, and salary disparities that disrupted healthcare services for Bong County and the wider Central Liberia region.
“The health and well-being of our people must always come first,” President Boakai 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.”
Accordingly, the President instructed all health workers to return to duty without delay to restore full services. He also ordered the recall of Medical Director Dr. Minnie Sankawulo-Ricks, Human Resource Director Mr. Jonathan Pewu, and Assistant Human Resource Director Mr. Peter Gbelawoe, pending further administrative review.
To address the underlying governance issues, President Boakai announced the establishment of a Special Committee to be led by the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. The committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of State, and Phebe Hospital’s governing churches — the Lutheran, Episcopal, and United Methodist Churches. It is tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the dispute and recommending immediate, medium-term, and long-term measures to strengthen the hospital’s governance, management, and operational effectiveness.
The President emphasized that healthcare remains a core responsibility of the Government of Liberia, undertaken in partnership with faith-based institutions and development partners, and cautioned against political interference in the management of health institutions. “We must never allow politics to take root in our hospitals. Our focus must remain on delivering quality healthcare to the Liberian people,” he stated.
The meeting was attended by Bong County Senator Prince K. Moye; Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto; Minister of State Without Portfolio Hadja Mamaka Bility; National Security Advisor Cllr. Samuel Kofi Woods II; Presidential Legal Advisor Cllr. Busheben Keita; Senior Advisor Dr. Augustine Konneh; and representatives of the hospital’s governing churches and other senior government officials.
President Boakai reaffirmed that protecting the health and well-being of Liberians remains a central priority of his administration and urged all stakeholders to cooperate fully to restore normal operations at Phebe Hospital and strengthen healthcare delivery for Bong County, Central Liberia, and the nation.
