Hospitals Across Liberia Deserted as Health Workers Strike

Published: December 17, 2024

MONROVIA – Hospitals across Liberia are empty, patients are stranded, and healthcare has ground to a halt as doctors and nurses embark on a nationwide strike over low pay and poor working conditions.

Major health facilities, including G. W. Harley Hospital in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, and Liberia Government Hospital (LGH) in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, were virtually abandoned early Tuesday, leaving patients stranded and medical services crippled.

At G. W. Harley Hospital, the usually bustling halls and outpatient departments resembled ghost towns. Patients seeking medical care were met with empty consultation rooms and unanswered calls for assistance. A local reporter in Nimba confirmed that while some patients waited in vain, health workers were nowhere to be seen.

Similarly, at the Liberia Government Hospital in Tubmanburg, the situation was dire. The outpatient department (OPD), typically a hub for consultations and treatment, remained deserted. A reporter on the ground observed a few health workers in the facility, but they were not actively attending to patients.

The strike stems from mounting frustrations over low salaries and harsh working conditions that health workers say have become unsustainable. Doctors and nurses argue that their current compensation fails to reflect the critical role they play in safeguarding Liberia’s fragile healthcare system.

“Our salaries are too low compared to the weight of responsibility we bear every day,” one health worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. “We are overworked and underpaid. It’s time for the government to act and recognize our efforts.”

The strike has sparked growing public concern, particularly in rural areas where healthcare services are already limited. Families of patients have voiced anger and fear over the deteriorating situation, urging the government to intervene swiftly to end the impasse.

As of press time, the Ministry of Health had not issued a statement on the strike. However, government sources suggest ongoing discussions aimed at resolving the crisis.