By: Julius Konton
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has praised the Liberia Chapter of the West African College of Physicians (WACP) for what he described as its “critical and transformative role” in rebuilding and strengthening the country’s healthcare delivery system through postgraduate medical training, specialist certification, and continuous professional development.
Meeting with a 10-member delegation of the WACP at the Executive Mansion President Boakai reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring public confidence in Liberia’s healthcare system by expanding investments in medical infrastructure, workforce training, and service delivery nationwide.
The meeting comes at a pivotal moment for Liberia’s health sector, which continues to recover from decades of underinvestment, the devastating effects of the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, and persistent shortages of specialized healthcare professionals.
“Liberia’s future health security depends on our ability to train, retain, and empower our own doctors and specialists,” President Boakai said, expressing confidence in Liberian physicians serving across the country’s referral and county health facilities.
Liberia, a nation of approximately 5.6 million people, has historically faced a critical shortage of medical personnel.
According to regional health estimates, the country has fewer than one physician per 10,000 people far below the World Health Organization’s recommended threshold for adequate healthcare coverage.
The gap has long forced many Liberians to seek specialized treatment abroad, costing the government and private citizens millions of dollars annually.
Leading the delegation, WACP Liberia President Dr. Musu Duworko emphasized that the organization remains central to Liberia’s long-term healthcare resilience.
She said the College directly supports Liberia’s national health priorities, including reducing maternal and child mortality, improving neonatal survival rates, strengthening epidemic preparedness, and minimizing expensive overseas medical referrals.
Liberia continues to record some of West Africa’s highest maternal mortality rates, with over 650 deaths per 100,000 live births, while infant mortality remains a major concern in rural counties where access to specialists is limited.
Dr. Duworko revealed that the WACP currently oversees specialist postgraduate training at major institutions including the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center and Phebe Hospital, while also administering regional examinations to maintain professional standards.
She disclosed that Liberia currently has 48 Fellows and 14 Members under the WACP framework, totaling 62 specialist physicians a significant but still inadequate number for the country’s growing healthcare demands.
Health analysts say strengthening county hospitals and specialist training programs remains essential, especially as Liberia seeks to decentralize healthcare access beyond Monrovia.
Dr. Duworko further announced that Liberia will host the WACP Annual General and Scientific Conference in 2027, a major regional medical gathering expected to bring together hundreds of physicians, researchers, and public health experts from across West Africa.
The event is expected to spotlight Liberia’s health reforms and create new partnerships in medical education, research, and healthcare innovation.
The delegation included Dr. Ivan Camanor, Dr. Philip Ireland, Dr. Roseda Marshall, Dr. Ian Wachekwa, Dr. Charles Oguni, Dr. Juleo T. Karr, Dr. Izetta Sheriff, and Ms. Fammata Titus.
The delegation was led to the Office of the President by Dr. Emmanuel Ekiyinabah.
The engagement reflects growing momentum in Liberia’s efforts to rebuild its healthcare system and reduce dependency on foreign medical interventions, a challenge that has persisted since the country’s civil wars and public health emergencies.
For many health experts, the partnership between government and regional medical institutions like the WACP could prove decisive in shaping the next chapter of Liberia’s healthcare transformation.
