Published: July 6, 2026
SUAKOKO, Bong County — Aggrieved employees of Phebe Hospital began an indefinite go-slow action Monday after the government failed to meet a five-day ultimatum to address their longstanding grievances, escalating a labor dispute that has disrupted operations at one of central Liberia’s largest referral hospitals.
Speaking to The Liberian Investigator by telephone Monday afternoon, Moses D.N. Davies, president of the Phebe Aggrieved Workers Union, said workers decided to withdraw their services after the government failed to respond to their demands within the deadline.
Davies said the union had given the government five days to intervene in the dispute, but said no concrete action had been taken to resolve the impasse.
“The five-day ultimatum expired, but the government has not intervened. We have exhausted all peaceful means of engagement, leaving us with no alternative but to begin this indefinite go-slow action,” he said.
Despite the industrial action, Davies said a group of employees, including doctors and other staff who do not support the protest, are continuing to provide medical services to critically ill patients to prevent unnecessary loss of life. He said the union remains committed to protecting patients who require emergency medical attention while continuing to pressure authorities to resolve the dispute.
The aggrieved workers are demanding the immediate removal or reassignment of Dr. Minnie S. Risk, medical director; Jonathan L. Pewu, acting administrator; and Peter B. Gbelawoe, acting human resource officer. They accuse the three officials of poor administrative practices, intimidation of employees, financial mismanagement, and the creation of unsafe working conditions. The officials have not publicly addressed the allegations.
The latest action follows months of tension at the hospital despite interventions by the Ministry of Health, the Civil Service Agency, and an investigative committee established by the Lutheran, Episcopal, and Methodist churches, which jointly oversee the institution.
Earlier this year, the investigative committee assured employees that its inquiry would be completed within 21 to 30 days. Workers say more than three months have passed without an official report or recommendations, fueling employee frustration.
Last week, the National Health Workers Union of Liberia threw its support behind the aggrieved workers, warning that it would shut down Phebe Hospital and extend the action to C.B. Dunbar Comprehensive Hospital and other health facilities across Bong County if the government failed to resolve the dispute.
NAHWUL Vice President for Operations Simon A. Morris also warned against using student nurses and physicians to replace striking workers, saying unlicensed personnel should not be allowed to provide patient care.
Phebe Hospital serves as one of Liberia’s major referral hospitals, providing emergency, maternal, surgical, pediatric, and specialized health care services to thousands of residents in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, and parts of Grand Bassa counties.
The prolonged dispute has already affected the hospital’s operations, with many residents reportedly seeking medical treatment at C.B. Dunbar Comprehensive Hospital in Gbarnga due to uncertainty surrounding services at Phebe.
As of Monday afternoon, neither the Ministry of Health nor the hospital’s management had publicly commented on the go-slow action. The situation remains tense as patients and residents await government intervention to avert a complete shutdown of one of the region’s most critical health care institutions.
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