The protest, still unscheduled, follows months of frustration as the graduates continue to serve in various healthcare facilities across Liberia without financial compensation.
Monrovia – Interim Doctors of Pharmacy who graduated in 2024 are planning to protest over the non-payment of their stipends, which have been overdue since January 2.
By Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
The protest, still unscheduled, follows months of frustration as the graduates continue to serve in various healthcare facilities across Liberia without financial compensation.
These doctors were promised a year of training with stipends under the 2024 budget. However, due to administrative delays, they have not received any payments. The Pharmacy Board, responsible for disbursing the stipends, has failed to complete necessary documentation, preventing the funds from being processed.
Despite repeated assurances that the budget would pass and stipends would be disbursed, the doctors have yet to receive financial support.
Speaking anonymously, several doctors expressed their growing frustration. “We’ve been waiting since January, and the situation is unbearable,” one doctor shared. “Some of my colleagues are stationed in remote areas, where the conditions are already tough. Without stipends, we can’t even cover basic needs like transportation or housing.”
Another doctor stationed in a rural facility revealed the difficult reality of working without compensation: “We are committed to our work, but it’s becoming impossible to continue without the promised support. Some of us are in dire circumstances, and it’s affecting our ability to perform our duties.”
The delay has been exacerbated by communication issues between the Pharmacy Board and the Civil Service Agency (CSA). According to the CSA, the list of eligible doctors was submitted, but the required documentation was not sent to the Ministry of Finance for processing.
This bureaucratic bottleneck has left the doctors feeling disillusioned with the agencies responsible for their welfare. “This has gone on for too long,” another doctor said. “We have been working under difficult conditions, and we can’t continue without the necessary resources. We’ve been patient, but now we are left with no choice but to protest for what we are owed.”
When contacted, Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto did not comment on the situation, despite the doctors’ hopes for a resolution.
The delay in stipend payments highlights ongoing challenges within the country’s healthcare system, particularly in rural areas, which already face a shortage of qualified medical professionals.
The situation also raises public health concerns, especially at a time when incidents of unqualified individuals impersonating doctors have alarmed citizens. The absence of trained healthcare professionals in essential facilities could contribute to more widespread health issues and erode public trust in the medical system.
As the protest looms, the Interim Doctors of Pharmacy are calling on the government to prioritize their situation and ensure that their stipends are released promptly.
“If this issue isn’t resolved soon, we may be forced to reconsider our roles and whether we can continue under these conditions,” one doctor warned.
