Health in Liberia

The Ministry of Health (MoH) sets policy, standards and monitoring while County Health Teams implement services and District Health Teams supervise facilities. Liberia's Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) covers core preventive and curative care, including immunization, malaria prevention, maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV prevention, screening for noncommunicable diseases and mental health support integrated into primary care. Care is organized in three levels. Community services and primary health care clinics provide prevention, basic treatment, diagnosis and referral. A primary health care clinic generally operates for eight hours on weekdays. Health centers provide 24-hour care, with capacity of up to 40 beds and laboratory services. District hospitals provide 24-hour emergency surgery and comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care. County hospitals provide general surgery, pediatrics, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, with intensive care, laboratory and basic radiology capacity targeted at that level. Regional hospitals serve three to five counties, while the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC) provides national referral care, specialist services, laboratory and radiology services, and teaching. Community access depends on distance. Where a household is more than 5 km from a facility or at least an hour's walk away, a Community Health Assistant or traditional midwife may provide preventive and promotive services and selected child services. A Community Health Promoter provides prevention, health promotion, identification of illness and referral, but not curative treatment. Children under five can receive community treatment for malaria, diarrhea and acute respiratory infection through the relevant pathway; children aged 6 to 11 receive malaria treatment through that community pathway. A written referral from a lower to a higher level is generally required, except in emergencies. Transport and community support can determine whether the referral is completed. The Ministry of Health reported that 25 ambulances were commissioned nationwide in 2026, but current dispatch arrangements and coverage are not verified. Medicine availability follows the Liberia Essential Medicines List, with care-level designations for community health workers, clinics, health centers, hospitals and tertiary facilities; stock, oxygen and diagnostic shortages can still interrupt treatment. The MoH Charter applies to all people, including foreigners in Liberia, and prohibits discrimination based on gender or social status. Children under 12 are exempt from public-facility fees across the 15 counties, while private and nonprofit charges vary. Patients have rights to confidentiality, respectful and condition-based care, clear information, a safe environment and complaints. Complaints can begin with the facility Officer-in-Charge, followed by the District Health Officer, County Health Officer, Chief Medical Officer or central MoH; suggestion boxes are also available. Follow-up includes referral completion, chronic and noncommunicable disease care, mental health care, rehabilitation and palliative services. Postnatal care is recommended at least twice within six weeks, including one immediate check and another within one week. Mental health services are intended to operate through primary care under Liberia's 2017 Mental Health Law, although implementation and workforce capacity remain uneven. Current gaps include the lack of a verified national facility directory, public fee schedule, ambulance contact system, waiting-time data and county-specific service information.