Last Updated on May 20, 2025 by The Liberian Investigator
MONROVIA — Jamesetta Kugmeh, the young Liberian mother whose harrowing medical saga sparked national outrage, has reportedly died at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia this morning, where she had been receiving treatment following alleged medical negligence at ELWA Hospital in Monrovia.
Her reported death comes less than 24 hours after grieving relatives and friends staged a protest on Monday, calling for accountability over what they describe as a botched delivery and post-operative care that ultimately cost the 28-year-old her life.
“We want answers,” chanted mourners, holding placards reading “Justice for Jamesetta” and “Our Health System is Bleeding.” The protest, held in Congo Town, drew dozens of supporters who say Kugmeh’s case is emblematic of a broader crisis in Liberia’s healthcare system—one they say continues to fail women, particularly during childbirth.
Kugmeh’s medical ordeal began in February, when she visited ELWA Hospital for a routine antenatal checkup. According to her family, doctors declared her pregnancy post-term and recommended labor induction. After complications arose, she was rushed into an emergency cesarean section. What followed, according to multiple accounts and her own social media posts, was a cascade of medical failures: kidney failure, liver damage, a collapsed urethra, third-degree burns, and ultimately the removal of her womb.
“I walked into ELWA healthy and hopeful, but I am now fighting for my life,” Kugmeh wrote in a heartbreaking Facebook post that has since gone viral. “I need answers from ELWA. I want to die knowing why you killed me.”
Her condition eventually deteriorated to the point that she was flown to Ghana in April for further treatment. She was returned to Liberia where she died at the J.F.K Hospital early Tuesday morning, May 20.
Though official confirmation of her death from Ghanaian authorities or the Liberian Ministry of Health is still pending, friends and family have flooded social media with tributes and fresh demands for justice.
“Liberia, you failed her,” wrote one user. “She cried for help and no one listened. She died asking why.”
Kugmeh’s case gained national attention not just because of the severity of her injuries, but also due to her own determined and public fight for survival. Her posts from her hospital bed—vivid, painful, and defiant—resonated with thousands of Liberians who shared her frustration with a healthcare system plagued by understaffing, poor regulation, and lack of accountability.
As of Tuesday afternoon, ELWA Hospital had yet to issue a statement regarding her reported death or the allegations of medical negligence. Attempts by The Liberian Investigator to reach the hospital’s administration for comment were unsuccessful.
Health Ministry officials have acknowledged the protest and say they are aware of the public’s concern but have declined to comment on the specifics of Kugmeh’s case, citing patient confidentiality.
“We are saddened by the public reports and urge calm while we gather the facts,” a health official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Meanwhile, Kugmeh’s family says they will not let her death go unanswered.
“She went to bring life into this world and lost hers instead,” said a tearful relative at Monday’s protest. “We will not stop until someone takes responsibility.”
The Liberian Medical and Dental Council has also come under growing pressure to open an inquiry into the matter. Advocates are calling for the suspension of any healthcare workers involved, pending the outcome of an independent investigation.
This is a developing story. The Liberian Investigator will continue to monitor updates and provide further reporting as official responses emerge.
Editor’s Note: This publication has been updated to correct earlier mention that Jamesetta had died in Ghana. She died at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center in Monrovia, Liberia.
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