The launching ceremony was attended by top government officials including Health Minister Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto, international partners, health professionals, students, and civil society representatives.
The John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders, has officially launched three advanced healthcare training programs in a move to strengthen Liberia’s health workforce and reduce the country’s alarming maternal and neonatal mortality rates.
By Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
The initiative introduces training in Nurse Anesthesia, Perioperative Technology, and Radiography to be delivered through the Tubman National Institute of Medical Arts (TNIMA).
The launching ceremony, held at the JFK Medical Center Compound in Sinkor, Monrovia, was attended by top government officials including Health Minister Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto, international partners, health professionals, students, and civil society representatives.
Though the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia, Madam Kartumu Yarta Boakai, did not attend the program, she was, however, represented by Dr. Adam M. Kyne, Senior Advisor and Head of Projects, who delivered a stirring keynote message on her behalf.
“This program is a national promise that no mother should die giving life, no newborn should suffer for lack of care, and no healthcare facility should stand helpless due to a lack of trained professionals,” Dr. Kyne emphasized.
Citing Liberia’s high maternal mortality rate, of 913 deaths per 100,000 live births, as he quotes the 2019–2020 LDHS.
Dr. Kyne described the initiative as a bold response to a persistent national crisis. “These are not just numbers,” he said. “They represent mothers who didn’t make it, newborns lost too soon, and families left in mourning. Today, we respond not with despair but with determination.”
Dr. Kyne also highlighted the First Lady’s ongoing efforts to improve maternal healthcare despite limited resources, including the refurbishment of maternity wards across Monrovia and the upcoming state-of-the-art facility in Bomi County.
For her part, Dr. Linda A. Birch, CEO of JFKMC, delivered special remarks expressing pride in the hospital’s growing role in shaping Liberia’s healthcare future, noting that JFK Medical Center is at the forefront of medical advancement.
“We have a noble goal to be the medical facility of first choice in Liberia,” she stated.
“This means providing top-tier care, expanding our training capabilities, and upgrading our facilities to international standards.”
Dr. Birch announced that 106 students have enrolled in the first cohort of the new programs, which are designed to produce highly skilled professionals in critical areas of care.
She noted that JFKMC trains over 10,000 interns and health workers annually and is undergoing major facility upgrades, including advanced diagnostic services, expanded operating theaters, and the planned acquisition of an MRI scanner. A new cardiac unit, supported by the Government of China, is also set to open, alongside enhancements to oncology, dialysis, and maternity care.
“Our vision is to eliminate the need for Liberians to seek advanced treatment abroad,” Dr. Birch said. “We are building a health system that can deliver complex care right here at home.”
The program aligns with the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and has received strong backing from the Ministry of Health and international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Birch expressed gratitude to the Ministry and donor organizations whose support helped launch the initiative, adding, “with these investments, we are not just training health workers, we are securing the health of a nation.”
Both Dr. Kyne and Dr. Birch ended their statements with a call for collective responsibility and continued investment.
“This is our moment of change,” Dr. Kyne stated. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Kyne officially declared the Nurse Anesthetist, Perioperative Technician, and Radiography Training Program opened on behalf of the First Lady to applause and celebration.
