Published: December 24, 2025
GBARNGA, Bong County — After more than a decade of perseverance, sacrifice and community hope, the doors of the Gbarnga Community Health Center have finally opened in Lelekpayea, marking a major milestone in expanding access to quality healthcare in Bong County.
The dedication of the state-of-the-art facility was more than a ceremonial ribbon-cutting; it was the realization of a long-held dream for residents who have struggled for years with limited access to medical services. Hundreds of community members turned out for the event, describing the health center as a lifeline for Lelekpayea and surrounding communities.
Built on approximately 40 acres of land, the modern health center was established through the initiative of a family of like-minded Panta citizens living in the United States, whose commitment transformed an idea into a fully equipped medical facility.
Providing an overview of the project, Chief Executive Officer Ayu Sirleaf Birch, a native of Electoral District No. 4, said the center was founded with the goal of delivering quality, affordable and accessible healthcare to the people of Lelekpayea, Bong County and Liberia at large.
“This project started in 2012, but we faced serious challenges along the way,” Birch said. “Financial constraints, the Ebola outbreak and later the COVID-19 pandemic slowed our progress, but we refused to give up.”
Birch explained that the original plan was to construct a small health post, inspired by his family’s background in the medical field. As construction advanced and community needs became clearer, the vision expanded into a full-scale health center.
“I come from a family of health practitioners, and my initial idea was to build a small health post,” he said. “But as work progressed, we decided to expand it to the level of a full health center. We worked, saved and persevered, which is why it took more than ten years.”
He expressed gratitude to God, his family and the Lelekpayea community for their unwavering support throughout the lengthy process. Birch announced that the 50-bed facility is scheduled to begin full operations on Jan. 1, 2026, and will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure some services are provided free of charge.
“This facility will not be one hundred percent private,” he noted. “We intend to work closely with the government to ensure that some services are offered free of charge.”
Birch emphasized that the health center is already stocked with essential medications and modern diagnostic equipment to improve accurate diagnosis and treatment. He highlighted the availability of imaging technology, including ultrasound machines, as critical to enhancing patient care.
“We have everything required to operate this facility—medications, imaging equipment and qualified health professionals,” he said. “Our goal is to provide quality and compassionate care.”
The center will offer maternal health services, inpatient and emergency care, as well as antenatal and postnatal services for pregnant women, including accommodation when necessary.
Looking ahead, Birch revealed plans to further expand the facility, recruit specialist doctors from abroad and establish partnerships with institutions in the United States. These partnerships, he said, could eventually allow the center to conduct medical examinations for Liberians seeking to travel to the U.S.
The dedication ceremony drew officials from the Bong County Health Team, county authorities and representatives of the Liberia Medical and Dental Health Services. The facility was formally declared open following the symbolic cutting of the ribbon by members of the county health team.
Also speaking at the event, Alex Douyan, regional administrator of the Liberia Medical and Dental Health Services, praised Birch and his family for investing in a modern health center that he said would significantly improve healthcare delivery in Bong County.
“This facility represents a major contribution to strengthening our health system and meeting the medical needs of our people,” Douyan said.
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