Published: March 9, 2026
KAKATA, Margibi County — The only public referral hospital in Margibi County, Charles Henry Rennie Hospital, is facing growing public criticism over alleged poor services, claims of money extortion, and concerns about maternal care following the recent death of a young mother after a cesarean section.
The hospital has been operating from an annex at the Kakata Health Center since its main facility was destroyed by fire in 2021. Patients and residents say the temporary arrangement has not met the standard expected of a referral hospital, with many reporting dissatisfaction with the care provided.
Public concern intensified after the death of Cynthia Sirleaf, a woman in her 20s who gave birth to her first child through a cesarean section last weekend. Family members and community members said she died three days later from what they described as severe blood loss, raising allegations of possible medical negligence.
The incident has sparked widespread debate on social media and local community radio stations, where residents expressed sympathy for the family and frustration over what they describe as persistent problems at the hospital. Many said the situation is contributing to rising maternal deaths in the county.
Residents have also raised concerns that some medical practitioners allegedly prefer cesarean deliveries over normal births because of the higher fees involved. According to several patients and relatives, a normal delivery at the facility usually costs less than L$4,000, while cesarean section procedures reportedly range between L$20,000 and L$30,000.
Juteh Toe, a Margibi citizen based in Monrovia, called for an independent investigation into Sirleaf’s death. In a statement posted on Facebook, Toe urged authorities to conduct a “speedy, transparent, and independent investigation” involving maternal health specialists, the Ministry of Health, civil society groups, and other partners.
Toe also demanded full disclosure of medical records, treatment protocols, and staffing levels at the time of the incident so that the family and the public can understand what decisions were made and whether proper standards of care were followed.
He further called for the public release of the investigation’s findings and immediate reforms to restore trust in maternal health services at the hospital. The proposed reforms include ensuring an adequate number of trained birth attendants, access to emergency obstetric care, functional blood transfusion services, and clear referral and transport systems for emergencies.
“Each day that passes without accountability undermines public confidence in the health system and puts other mothers at risk,” Toe wrote.
Other residents shared similar experiences at the facility.
Jeffrey Bainda said he took his pregnant wife to the hospital while she was in labor at about 12:00 p.m. on January 6 and remained there until 2:45 a.m. the following day without receiving proper medical attention.
Bainda alleged that he was asked to pay L$24,800 before doctors could perform surgery on his wife. He said the payment was accepted but hospital staff refused to issue a receipt.
“If what you are doing is fair, why are you afraid to issue a receipt?” Bainda asked.
He claimed that after he insisted on receiving a receipt, his wife was left unattended from 11:00 p.m. until 2:45 a.m., crying in pain.
“The majority of pregnant women who come to this facility are operated on mainly because of the L$24,800 charge,” he alleged.
Similar concerns were raised by Pa Kollie Kolubah, who spoke during a meeting with the Women Legislative Caucus in Kakata in December 2025. Kolubah alleged that his daughter died at the hospital after he was unable to immediately pay the L$21,000 fee required for a cesarean section.
According to him, he initially had L$10,000, but hospital staff allegedly refused to begin the procedure until the full amount was paid.
“My daughter remained in pain until evening before my other daughter sent the balance,” Kolubah said. “When they finally did the operation, both my daughter and the baby died.”
He accused health workers at the hospital of showing little compassion and called on the government to intervene to prevent further loss of life.
Another resident, Ton Sumo, described a troubling experience while in labor at the facility on March 2–3, 2023. She said nurses on night duty left her in the care of a student nurse while they engaged in conversations.
According to Sumo, the student nurse mistakenly administered the wrong amount of an injection during labor. She said the situation worsened when another nurse later attempted to speed up delivery by opening the cervix and rupturing the amniotic sac.
“All the fluid came out and the baby’s skin became dry,” she recalled.
She said her labor continued until morning when doctors arrived but allegedly left without explaining the situation to the next shift. Sumo said a nurse later corrected the treatment by adjusting her intravenous drip and changing her position, eventually helping her deliver safely with the use of a vacuum device.
“I nearly died in the process,” she said.
The Liberian Investigator has also learned that several nurses and a doctor at the facility were previously suspended for up to four months following a Ministry of Health investigation into two maternal deaths at the hospital in 2025. According to a county health official familiar with the matter, the investigation found the health workers liable for negligence. However, the suspensions were not publicly announced by the Ministry of Health.
C.H Rennie Medical Director Dr. Wilmot Frank rejected allegations that Sirleaf’s death resulted from negligence.
Frank said the patient died due to a blood transfusion reaction, a rare but recognized medical complication, and not because of mishandling by hospital staff.
“The patient you are referring to die from a blood transfusion reaction. It had nothing to do with mishandling the patient,” he said.
Frank also dismissed claims that staff favor cesarean deliveries for financial gain. He noted that Liberia’s Community Revolving Drug Fund (CRDF) program requires patients to pay service fees directly to facility cashiers and receive official receipts.
He added that many patients arriving at C.H. Rennie Hospital are referrals from other health facilities, often with fetal distress or other complications requiring emergency obstetric care.
According to Frank, the hospital serves patients from at least five counties, Bong, Gbarpolu, Montserrado, Grand Bassa, and Margibi, and must frequently perform emergency procedures to prevent intrauterine fetal death (IUFD).
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