AMEU clears medical bills for 24 mothers at JFK

MONROVIA, Liberia – Two dozen new mothers walked free from the John F. Kennedy Medical Center on Tuesday after months of being detained for unpaid bills—thanks to a humanitarian intervention by the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU).

As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, AMEU negotiated a joint settlement with the JFK administration to cover the hospital debts of 24 patients at the Liberia-Japanese Maternity Center, bringing relief to mothers who had been unable to return home after childbirth.

Some of the women had been confined to the facility since April, unable to pay their medical bills. AMEU paid 30 percent of the outstanding balance—over one million Liberian dollars—while JFK agreed to waive the remaining 70 percent.

“We are here not just to celebrate a milestone, but to demonstrate what that milestone means—compassion, service, and nation-building,” said Rev. Dr. Alvin Attah, President of AMEU. “These mothers can now go home, and that is what matters most.”

The announcement was met with tears and applause inside the maternity ward as mothers clutched their babies and thanked the university delegation.

In addition to the debt relief, AMEU donated vital maternal and newborn care supplies to the maternity center, including sanitary kits and nutritional items, as part of its broader service campaign.

Davidetta Parker-Sirleaf, Administrator of the Maternity Center, described the university’s gesture as “a lifesaving gift.”

“What you’ve done here today will leave a lasting impact—not only on these mothers and babies but on every staff member who witnessed this moment of kindness,” she said.

The initiative is part of a month-long series of community outreach events under the theme “Service to Humanity.” AMEU’s leadership said the focus is to use the university’s milestone as a platform to promote empathy and civic responsibility.