Monrovia – The West African College of Physicians (WACP) has concluded its 9th Annual General Assembly and Scientific Meeting in Monrovia, bringing together health experts and policymakers to discuss practical solutions to address the pressing challenges facing Liberia and the wider region’s health systems.
By Julius Konton, contributing writer
Held under the theme “A Closer Look at the Health System: Intersectoral Collaboration for Improving Health Indicators,” the gathering emphasized the need for stronger partnerships across sectors to improve health outcomes.
Duworko: “This is about solutions, not just data”
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Musu Duworko, WACP Vice President and Chairperson of the Liberia Chapter, stressed that the meeting was not only about analyzing statistics but about finding actionable solutions.
“It is about forging stronger intersectoral partnerships, investing in frontline services, and ensuring that every mother and every newborn has access to quality care, no matter where they live,” Dr. Duworko said.
She described Liberia’s health indicators as both “sobering and urgent,” noting that maternal mortality remains among the highest in the region, while neonatal and under-five mortality rates continue to challenge progress despite the dedication of frontline workers.
Dr. Duworko further highlighted persistent problems such as child stunting and wasting, the heavy burden of malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV, and the rise of non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes. She stressed that these figures represent real lives—mothers who did not make it home, children who never reached their fifth birthday, and families struggling with poverty and illness.
Health goes beyond clinics and hospitals
According to Dr. Duworko, improving health requires broader collaboration across multiple sectors.
“Health is not the responsibility of the health sector alone—it is shaped by the food we grow, the water we drink, the roads we travel, the schools we build, and the policies we enact,” she told participants.
She underscored that intersectoral collaboration is a necessity, not a luxury, noting that nutrition in schools can fight stunting, clean water in clinics prevents disease, and investments in health insurance protect families from financial ruin.
“The health of a nation is not built on isolation, but in classrooms, on farms, through roads and clean water systems, in boardrooms and budget meetings, as well as in clinics and operating theaters,” she said, calling on colleagues to act boldly and urgently.
WHO stresses primary health care
Also addressing the assembly, Dr. Olushayo Olu, World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative to Liberia, underscored the importance of strengthening primary health care, describing it as both cost-effective and impactful.
Delivering the keynote address at the 18th J.N. Togba Lecture, Dr. Olu urged Liberia to adopt primary health care as a cornerstone for health system improvement, citing success stories from countries such as Costa Rica, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Ghana. He also emphasized the need for stronger collaboration and political will to drive progress in the sector.
WACP’s growth in Liberia
Founded on October 23, 1976, the WACP is made up of five foundation chapters—Liberia, The Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. Liberia’s chapter has grown steadily, now boasting 43 fellows, 12 members, and three physicians in training across various specialties.
The growth of postgraduate medical education in Liberia has been supported by the Liberia Postgraduate Medical Council and the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons, which coordinate specialist training.
Honoring Dr. Massaquoi
The meeting ended with scientific sessions and the recognition of Dr. Moses B.F. Massaquoi as the 2025 Distinguished Service Award recipient.
Dr. Massaquoi, a fellow of both WACP and the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons, is widely respected for his contributions to the sector, particularly his role as Liberia’s former National Ebola Case Manager and Chair of the Sub-Regional Consortium on Ebola Virus Vaccine and Therapeutic Trials in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Mali.
His decades of service and leadership in health system strengthening were hailed by colleagues as exemplary, earning him the college’s highest honor.
