By By: Staff Writer
Monrovia, Liberia — Mrs. Joana Domingo Joekai, MSN, BSN, RN, has resigned as Director of Nursing Services at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, effective August 25, 2026, ending a nearly two-year tenure credited with major reforms in nursing administration and patient care at Liberia’s three national referral hospitals.
In her resignation letter, Mrs. Joekai said the decision followed a “prolonged period of administrative actions” stemming from an allegation made against her during an Ebola preparedness training. She noted that she fully cooperated with investigators and was exonerated by the Liberia National Police, and that she submitted her official police clearance in pursuit of reinstatement.
According to the letter, she received no substantive response to her clearance and was later informed of a secondment, which she formally challenged. “These developments ultimately convinced her that she could no longer serve effectively under the prevailing circumstances,” the letter stated.
Reforms during tenure
Mrs. Joekai returned to Liberia in 2024 after more than 20 years of clinical and executive nursing leadership in the United States. She holds a Master of Science in Nurse Executive and multiple professional certifications.
During her time at JFKMC, she led initiatives focused on nursing supervision, professional development, patient safety, workforce discipline, continuing education, clinical standards, and quality assurance. Colleagues credit her with boosting morale among nurses and strengthening systems that improved care delivery for thousands of patients.
Her departure has sparked discussion within health professional circles about the retention of skilled diaspora returnees in public service.
Distances resignation from politics
In the letter, Mrs. Joekai stressed that her resignation “should not be interpreted as a loss of confidence in the Government of Liberia or in President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.” She reaffirmed support for the President’s public-sector reform agenda and praised his commitment to strengthening national institutions.
She also expressed appreciation for the confidence placed in her husband, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., Director General of the Civil Service Agency, and reaffirmed her family’s support for his work to reform Liberia’s public service.
Personnel process under scrutiny
The circumstances of her exit highlight a broader challenge for government institutions: how administrative and disciplinary processes are managed after an employee is cleared of allegations. JFKMC and the Ministry of Health had not issued a public statement on the resignation or on the status of the secondment at press time.
Mrs. Joekai said her passion for healthcare leadership and public service “remains undiminished” as she prepares for her next chapter. She thanked nurses, physicians, healthcare workers, patients, and the Liberian people, and wished JFK Medical Center success in fulfilling its national mandate.
With more than 500 nurses under the Directorate of Nursing Services across JFK and its affiliates, the hospital now faces the task of filling a leadership vacancy at a time when staffing, training, and retention remain central to Liberia’s health system recovery.
