Monrovia – Caretakers and relatives of patients recovering from surgery at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital have alleged that they were forcibly removed from the hospital premises during nighttime hours, leaving many without shelter and exposed to unsafe conditions.
By Jahiem Tumu
The eviction, which reportedly occurred on the night of Friday, May 9, affected dozens of individuals, including those attending to patients in the maternity ward who had recently undergone cesarean sections.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica, Stanley Johnson, the fiancé of a post-surgical patient, said caretakers were asked to leave the Palava Hut—the hospital’s open-air waiting area—immediately after visiting hours ended.
“They told us to leave the Palava Hut as soon as visiting hours were over,” said Johnson. “That’s the only place we had to sit and be close to our loved ones. Once the visitors go, they tell us to leave too.”
Another caretaker expressed frustration over the arrangement, claiming that while they were forced outside at night, they were still summoned by hospital staff to assist patients when needed.
“They throw us out, but when something happens, they call us back in,” the caretaker said. “We’re not loiterers—we’re here because our people need us.”
Several of the affected caretakers said they were forced to sleep on the pavement outside the hospital gate or remain standing all night.
JFK Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Linda A. Birch, confirmed she gave the order to remove caretakers from the premises, defending the action as necessary to maintain hygiene and hospital standards.
“I gave that order,” Dr. Birch said. “Caretakers were misusing the hospital’s environment. Where else in the world do you see patients’ relatives sleeping in the same bed with the patient?”
She cited multiple issues, including caretakers urinating, defecating, and washing clothes within hospital premises. “This will not happen under my administration,” she added.
Dr. Birch said the hospital has sufficient nursing staff to manage patients and that caretakers can be contacted if needed, using emergency contact information provided during patient admission.
When asked whether there was any written notice or formal policy communicated to the public, Dr. Birch admitted that the order was verbal.
“It was a verbal communication. The intent is to set a benchmark so that people get the message,” she said.
She added that she intends to consult the Ministry of Health, which chairs JFK Hospital’s board, for guidance and possible policy backing.
“I want the Ministry of Health to weigh in. We need a structured way forward,” Dr. Birch stated.
The eviction has sparked public concern about the safety of caretakers and relatives, especially in light of Liberia’s limited emergency accommodation options for family members supporting hospitalized patients.
Civil society groups have begun calling for a more humane approach, urging JFK to designate waiting spaces or temporary shelters for caretakers to avoid further hardship.
