Published: February 6, 2026
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — Members of the Liberia Association of Nurse Anesthetists (LANA) on Thursday protested at the Capitol, demanding the immediate implementation of a long-approved compensation policy they say is critical to retaining anesthetists and sustaining surgical services nationwide.
The association said prolonged delays by government institutions to enforce the pay framework have left nurse anesthetists underpaid and overstretched, contributing to disruptions in essential medical services, particularly emergency surgeries.
“We are not politicians. We are health workers and frontline clinicians,” said Ben Dolo, president of LANA. “We deserve better salaries, consistent with our training and responsibilities.”
Dolo said the compensation policy addressing anesthetists’ salaries and professional classification was developed under the previous administration and formally validated, but has yet to be implemented.
He said LANA, working alongside other professional groups—including physician assistants, nurses, midwives and laboratory technicians—engaged the Ministry of Health, the Civil Service Agency, and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning throughout 2024 in pursuit of implementation.
According to Dolo, the association held formal discussions with CSA Director-General Josiah Joekai, followed by engagements with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health, with the expectation of coordinated action.
“This policy was not authored by us,” Dolo said. “It is a government policy that clearly outlines salary benefits for health professionals.”
LANA said progress slowed despite the Ministry of Health’s decision to hire a consultant in 2024 to guide implementation.
“The consultant’s team worked with us, and we were formally captured under the policy,” Dolo said.
He said the association was later unsettled by public remarks attributed to CSA Deputy Director Darlington Smith, which he said suggested disagreement between the CSA and the Ministry of Health over the policy’s handling.
“These contradictions have only deepened frustration among our members,” Dolo said.
LANA warned that continued delays risk further destabilizing Liberia’s already strained health system.
Dolo disclosed that nurse anesthetists have withdrawn services since Jan. 15, citing unresolved compensation concerns—a move he described as unavoidable after years of stalled reform.
He said the impact is already being felt in counties including Lofa, Grand Kru, Bomi, Sinoe and Grand Gedeh, where patients requiring surgery are being transferred to other counties due to the absence of anesthetic services.
“Most of our members are registered nurses with four to five years of formal education, followed by three additional years of specialized anesthetic training,” Dolo said. “They must be compensated according to their professional category.”
LANA emphasized that the situation reflects systemic under-compensation and staff shortages, not unwillingness to engage.
“We are not refusing dialogue,” Dolo said. “But these problems cannot be solved through emergency measures alone.”
The association has appealed to the Legislature to intervene, urging lawmakers to summon the relevant ministries, clarify institutional responsibilities, and ensure that approved health-sector compensation policies are implemented to prevent further disruption of lifesaving services.
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