Published: July 20, 2026
MONROVIA – The Director of Nursing Services at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Mrs. Joana Domingo Joekai, has resigned after nearly two years in the role, saying the hospital’s administration denied her reinstatement and instead moved to second her even after the Liberia National Police cleared her of allegations linked to an Ebola preparedness training.
Her resignation takes effect Aug. 25, ending a tenure marked by reforms aimed at strengthening nursing leadership, improving patient care and raising professional standards across Liberia’s three national referral hospitals.
Joekai’s difficulties began after allegations surfaced claiming she announced confirmed Ebola-positive cases in Liberia during an Ebola preparedness training. She maintained the allegation was false and said she fully cooperated with a Liberia National Police investigation, which found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Despite submitting the official police clearance and requesting reinstatement, she said she neither received reinstatement nor substantive responses to her concerns. She later learned of a secondment decision, which she formally challenged before concluding that resignation was her only remaining option.
In her resignation letter, Joekai said she leaves with her “integrity intact” and her commitment to healthcare stronger than ever.
A nurse executive with more than two decades of clinical and leadership experience in the United States, Joekai returned to Liberia to help strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
During her tenure, she led reforms that improved nursing supervision, professional development, workforce accountability, patient safety, continuing education and quality assurance at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, E.S. Grant Mental Health Hospital and the Maternity Hospital. Working alongside nurses, physicians and administrators, she helped strengthen clinical standards while boosting morale within the nursing workforce.
Healthcare professionals have recognized her as a transformational leader whose impact extended beyond administration to mentoring nurses, building institutional capacity and advocating for quality patient care.
Despite the circumstances surrounding her departure, Joekai stressed that her resignation should not be interpreted as a loss of confidence in President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration. She reaffirmed her support for the President’s vision of strengthening governance, improving public service delivery and building stronger national institutions.
She also expressed gratitude for the confidence President Boakai has placed in her husband, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., Director-General of the Civil Service Agency, describing his work as an expression of patriotism and dedication to national transformation. Joekai said she and her family remain fully supportive of his efforts to advance public sector reforms.
Joekai said she remains committed to healthcare leadership and nursing excellence and intends to continue contributing wherever her expertise can strengthen healthcare systems and improve patient outcomes. She thanked nurses, physicians, healthcare workers, patients and the Liberian people for the opportunity to serve, while wishing the JFK Medical Center continued success in delivering quality healthcare.
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