MONROVIA — Major health workers’ unions have challenged the government’s proposed 2027 health sector budget, warning that nearly the entire US$3.14 million increase in personnel compensation could be consumed by payments to doctors, pharmacists and specialists, leaving little room to employ thousands of volunteer health workers who have served in public health facilities for years without permanent employment.
The unions are demanding that the Ministry of Health publish a transparent, fully funded and time-bound employment plan for qualified volunteers, some of whom they say have worked for as long as 15 years without job security.
In a joint statement dated Nov. 10, 2026, the National Health Workers Union, Liberia National Physician Assistants Association, Liberian Nurses Association, Nurse Anesthetists Association of Liberia and other allied organizations accused the government of failing to adequately address the employment concerns of long-serving volunteer health workers.
“We demand a clear, funded and time-bound pathway to employ qualified volunteer health workers who have sustained services in our communities for years—some for four, five, ten and, in certain cases, fifteen years—without secure employment,” the unions said.
The organizations maintained that their demand is not an appeal for charity but a call for fairness, transparency and accountability in the management of Liberia’s health workforce.
They insisted that the Ministry of Health must clearly explain the criteria for selecting qualified volunteers, the number of workers to be employed during each phase and the timeline for implementing the proposed employment program.
Central to their concerns is the government’s proposed fiscal year 2027 compensation budget, which the unions say raises serious questions about whether sufficient resources have been allocated to absorb existing volunteers into the public payroll.
According to figures presented in the statement, the Ministry of Health’s compensation budget is projected to increase from US$44,782,715 in fiscal year 2026 to US$47,923,812 in the proposed 2027 budget, representing an additional US$3,141,097.
However, the unions argued that proposed compensation for three categories of health professionals would consume almost the entire increase.
Their calculations show that the proposed employment of 65 intern doctors would require US$1,840,410 annually, while compensation for 50 pharmacists would account for another US$918,000.
They also estimated that proposed salary adjustments for 25 specialist doctors already on the government payroll, increasing their monthly salaries from US$2,359.50 to US$3,600, would require an additional US$372,150 annually.
Combined, the three expenditures would total US$3,130,560, leaving a calculated balance of just US$10,537 from the proposed compensation increase.
The unions said the three items would account for approximately 99.66% of the additional compensation budget, raising concerns about the government’s ability to employ long-serving volunteers without further funding.
They clarified that the US$10,537 balance represents the difference between the figures cited in their assessment and does not constitute a verified government allocation for volunteer employment.
The organizations also acknowledged that their calculations did not include the cost of employing volunteers because the government had not provided the number of positions, salary grades or placement arrangements required for such an assessment.
Beyond the budget figures, the unions questioned reports that funds previously intended to support volunteer employment may have been redirected toward the recruitment of interns.
Rather than presenting the allegation as established fact, the organizations demanded the publication of relevant financial records to determine how the funds were allocated and spent.
“We do not ask the public to accept an allegation in place of an audit: we demand that the Ministry publish the relevant supplementary-budget allocation, releases and actual expenditure, and reconcile them line by line,” the statement said.
“If money designated for volunteers was redirected, the Ministry must explain who authorized the change and under what authority.”
The unions stressed that they do not oppose the recruitment of intern doctors and pharmacists or salary adjustments for specialist doctors. However, they argued that such expenditures should not be presented as progress toward employing existing volunteer health workers.
“Government support for students or interns is not a justification for leaving experienced frontline volunteers in prolonged uncertainty,” they said.
The organizations maintained that volunteers have continued providing essential services in hospitals, clinics and other health facilities despite years of uncertainty surrounding their employment status.
They warned that the continued reliance on unpaid or insecurely employed health workers raises concerns about workforce management, fairness and the sustainability of public health services.
To address the situation, the unions issued a series of demands and called on the Ministry of Health to respond within 30 days.
They want the ministry to publish a verified national register of volunteer health workers, identifying their professional roles, qualifications and years of service.
The organizations also demanded a fully costed employment schedule outlining transparent recruitment criteria, the number of volunteers to be absorbed in each phase and a dedicated budget allocation to support the exercise.
Additionally, they called for the disclosure of supplementary-budget allocations reportedly intended for volunteer employment, including records of funds released and actual expenditures.
The unions further urged the ministry to provide a detailed breakdown of the proposed 2027 compensation increase, separating expenditures for intern doctors, pharmacists, specialists and volunteer health workers.
They maintained that such disclosures would allow health workers, lawmakers and the public to determine whether the government’s budgetary commitments adequately address the needs of existing frontline personnel.
The statement emphasized a renewed demand for a measurable employment plan and a commitment to continue advocating for qualified volunteers.
“A government that relies on health workers year after year must not treat their service as invisible,” the unions declared.
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