Pictures of Dialysis Machines at the JFK, most of which are damaged today
Monrovia, Liberia – July 2, 2026 — A joint independent investigation into the operations of the Dialysis Center at John F. Kennedy (JFK) Medical Center has uncovered allegations of severe overcrowding, inadequate medical services and what patients and staff describe as inhumane treatment of individuals suffering from kidney disease.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
Interviews with patients and including Wilfred Gray-Johnson, Chairman of the Dialysis Patients Association at the JFK and some medical personnel, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, this news outlet found that the country’s only public dialysis center is struggling to meet the growing demand for life saving treatment.
Crisis and Congestion at the JFK Dialysis Center
Mr. Gray-Johnson lamented critical resource shortage at the JFK Dialysis Center, where according to him, a growing patient population of 165 individuals competes for only seven functional machines.
Due to this scarcity, Mr. Gray-Johnson disclosed that medical staff are often forced to reschedule stable patients to prioritize those arriving in emergency conditions.
Concealing The Harsh Reality
The Chairperson of the Dialysis Patients Association, who spoke exclusively in a FrontPage Africa(FPA) interview, expressed deep frustration regarding the recent visit of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, alleging that officials of the JFK hid the facility’s struggles and prevented the Liberian leader from witnessing the true gravity of the situation.
To resolve this crisis, the Patients Association head is calling for the immediate integration of new machines to expand the center’s capacity as he highlighted a dire healthcare emergency where limited equipment and political gatekeeping threaten the lives of those dependent on life-sustaining treatment.
“To the best of my knowledge, and I must be very frank, all of the patients – including myself, were very disappointed that President Joseph Boakai was not taken to the dialysis center. He was not even given the opportunity to interact directly with patients or see the overcrowded conditions we experience daily. We had hoped his visit would give him a firsthand understanding of the challenges dialysis patients are facing,” asserted Mr. Gray Johnson.
He furthered: “Our country has a pattern where, for political or other reasons, some officials shield national leaders from the actual situation on the ground. They tend to take them only to places that will earn praise while avoiding areas where serious problems exist. If you listened to the President’s remarks after the visit, they were largely complimentary of JFK because, in my view, he was not shown the parts of the hospital that reflect the real struggles patients are enduring.”
The Life-Saving Plea of The JFK Dialysis Patient Association
Chairman Gray-Johnson further lamented how patients often endure extreme hardships, including sleeping outdoors in harsh conditions to secure a spot for medical care, while high costs and insufficient budgetary allocations further limit accessibility, thus sounding out calls for immediate intervention by President Boakai for increased funding to ensure the facility can function properly and prevent unnecessary loss of lives.
Although the facility is reportedly intended to provide 24-hour dialysis services, our investigation established that it currently operates only from 8 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., leaving many patients unable to receive treatment despite having scheduled appointments
Female Patient Decries Poor Life-threatening Service
One female patient, who undergoes dialysis every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, recounted her ordeal after being turned away on Wednesday, July 1.
According to her, despite paying for her scheduled treatment, medical staff informed her that the dialysis machines had become overheated and needed time to cool down. She said by the time the machines were ready for use, the facility had already closed for the day, forcing her to return home without receiving the treatment she urgently needed.
Deteriorating Services Despite High Fees
Another patient, a male, whose dialysis sessions are scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday, criticized what he described as deteriorating services at the center despite the substantial fees patients are required to pay.
He explained that dialysis patients depend on strict treatment schedules to survive, warning that missing even a single session can lead to life-threatening complications or death.
The investigation further revealed that seven out of 10 dialysis machines donated by the Japanese Government have reportedly broken down, leaving the center to rely only on 3 aging functional machines that have significantly depreciated, and are no longer capable of adequately serving the growing number of patients.
Sources within the facility disclosed that eight new dialysis machines have however been procured, but without a dialysis chair or bed, and remain uninstalled, allegedly because the technicians have not been trained to install the equipment.
Our sources also questioned management’s decision to discontinue its relationship with the Japanese government that previously supplied and supported the center with essential materials, including the existing machines, but rather chose to procure equipment from another manufacturer.
Two Reportedly Died During Treatment
There are also a disturbing reports of the deaths of two dialysis patients on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Sources alleged that both patients died while under the dialysis machine and undergoing treatment, but unfortunate passed away due to the faulty and depreciated machines
Mr. Wilfred Gray-Johnson, Chairperson of the JFK Dialysis Patients Association
However, circumstances surrounding those deaths could not be independently verified, and the center has not publicly commented on the allegations.
Accordingly, medical staffs who have continued to provide professional services with the limited resources and material available expressed deep sorrow over the reported deaths, stating a life lost worth a life living.
Patients waiting in the lobby for treatment also told our reporter that it was shocking when JFK management allegedly failed to fully inform President Joseph Nyuma Boakai about the challenges confronting the facility during his visit to the center on Wednesday, July 1, but rather escorted the President only through sections of the facility that appeared to be in good condition while avoiding areas where patients reportedly endure overcrowding and prolonged waiting periods, describing management’s alleged action as “misleading” the president.
“The President was not shown where patients are struggling every day because of inadequate services. I think it would have been good if management had informed the president about the challenges facing the facility so the he can know and see how he can help us. We are dying every day here” the patients emotionally intoned.
The Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf Dialysis Center, located within the JFK Medical Center in Sinkor, Monrovia remains Liberia’s only national dialysis facility. It provides life-saving treatment for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease and kidney failure by removing waste products and excess fluids from the blood when the kidneys can no longer perform those functions naturally.
The center was officially dedicated on March 1, 2022, during the administration of former President George Manneh Weah, although construction began in 2011 under former President Johnson Sirleaf.
Managed by the John F. Kennedy Medical Center under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, the facility serves hundreds of patients from all fifteen counties and has significantly reduced the need for Liberians with kidney failure to travel abroad for treatment.
As the demand for dialysis services continues to rise, patients and healthcare workers are calling on the Government of Liberia(GoL) and health authorities to urgently address the reported shortage of functional machines, extend operating hours, improve staffing and ensure that newly acquired equipment is installed without further delay.
The allegations contained in this report are based on interviews with patients and anonymous staff members.
The management of the JFK Dialysis Center had not responded to these specific allegations amid a planned protest by patients that is expected to take place at the JFK Compound on today, Tuesday, July 7.
Emmanuel Cole, Director of Communications at JFK promised to speak to the matter appropriately upon gathering necessary information appertaining the current state of affairs at the Dialysis Center.
