Published: June 15, 2026
WEAJOR, Bomi County — A pregnant woman in labor lost her unborn baby after a massive fallen tree blocked the only road to the nearest health center, leaving her unable to reach care in time, residents say.
The tree has lain across a key access road to the Sasstown Health Center for nearly three weeks, cutting off Weajor and several surrounding communities from healthcare, schools, markets and the movement of basic goods, according to residents and a Crime Watch Liberia investigation. The woman’s identity is being withheld out of respect for her privacy.
Her death is the sharpest sign of a crisis that residents say has tightened its grip by the day. Communities including Kpah, Gbangba, Bombor Town and nearby villages have struggled to move people and goods since the tree collapsed, and residents say expectant mothers and the sick have been the hardest hit.
During a recent visit to the area, Crime Watch Liberia observed elderly men and younger residents working to build a makeshift crossing for vehicles and motorbikes. Despite their efforts, access remains severely restricted.
Pregnant women forced through swamps
Sheikh B. Sarmah, a resident of Bombor Town, described the conditions facing expectant mothers and sick residents trying to reach Sasstown.
“Recently, three pregnant women who were in labor were trying to get to the health center in Sasstown,” Sarmah said. “We managed to help two of them cross through the swamp, but unfortunately the third woman lost her unborn baby because of the difficulty caused by the fallen tree.”
Community members have exhausted their limited resources trying to clear the obstruction, he said. At least six chainsaw operators were brought in to cut the tree, but their efforts failed because of its size and hardness.
Sarmah appealed to Bomi County District 3 Rep. Sam P. Jallah, county senators and other government authorities to intervene before more lives are lost.
“If nothing is done, pregnant women, the sick, and elderly people will continue to suffer,” he warned. “The situation could lead to more deaths.”
Food supplies running low
Residents say the crisis extends well beyond healthcare.
Varney Musa of Kpah Town said the blocked road has cut off the flow of food and basic commodities and kept children out of school.
“The situation is preventing food from coming into our communities and stopping our children from going to school,” Musa said. “Our elderly people are also unable to access healthcare in Sasstown.”
Stocks of rice, cooking oil, salt, soap, seasoning cubes and other essential household items are dwindling fast, residents say, because transport operators cannot travel beyond the blocked section of road. With vehicles and motorbikes stranded and communities increasingly isolated, local leaders warn the situation could escalate into a humanitarian crisis without swift action.
Growing calls for government intervention
The death has renewed calls for stronger rural infrastructure and emergency response in Liberia’s remote communities, where a single blocked road can carry life-threatening consequences. For residents of Weajor and the surrounding towns, the loss of an unborn child has become a painful symbol of how fragile access to basic services remains.
The tree still lies across the roadway. Residents say they are waiting on government intervention before another preventable tragedy occurs.
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