By Edwin N. Khakie
GBARNGA, Bong County, July 7, 2026: Health services at Phebe Hospital, one of Liberia’s largest referral facilities, came to a standstill Monday after aggrieved workers defied appeals from Bong County Senator Prince Kermue Moye and other stakeholders and launched a full-scale strike.
The action has left hundreds of patients stranded and disrupted critical healthcare services in Bong County and neighboring areas.
The shutdown follows weeks of growing tension between the hospital’s management and the Aggrieved Workers Union, whose members insist they will not return to work until President Joseph Nyuma Boakai or Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung personally intervenes in the dispute.
The workers say previous mediation efforts by the Lutheran, Methodist and Episcopal churches, which jointly oversee the hospital, as well as government representatives, have failed to resolve their grievances.
Addressing reporters in Gbarnga, the union’s president, Moses D.N. Davis, declared that the strike would remain in force until the country’s highest authorities directly address the crisis.
Davis said the workers had lost confidence in previous negotiations and rejected the recommendations of a special committee established by the churches, describing its findings as inadequate.
The union is demanding the removal of Medical Director Dr. Minnie Sankawulo-Ricks, Acting Human Resource Officer Peter Gbelarwo and Acting Administrator Jonathan Pewu, accusing the hospital’s leadership of failing to address longstanding workplace concerns.
Davis disclosed that the union is coordinating its action with the National Health Workers Union and remains committed to sustaining the protest until its demands are met.
As the standoff intensified, the Liberia National Police deployed additional officers around the hospital to maintain security and prevent further unrest.
Davis confirmed the arrests of Peter Yallah and hospital driver James Sumo, although police have yet to disclose the reasons for their detention.
The closure has severely affected healthcare delivery at the hospital, which serves as a lifeline for thousands of residents of Bong County and surrounding areas.
Emergency cases, surgeries, maternal healthcare services and other essential treatments have reportedly been disrupted, forcing many patients to seek alternatives or return home without receiving care.
The crisis has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of Liberia’s health sector, where labor disputes continue to threaten the delivery of essential medical services.
Residents, community leaders and civil society groups are urging the Government of Liberia, the Ministry of Health and the church institutions overseeing Phebe Hospital to urgently break the deadlock before the situation deteriorates further.
As of Monday evening, neither the hospital administration nor the Ministry of Health had issued an official response to the workers’ latest action.
Negotiations are expected to continue, but with health services suspended and patients stranded, pressure is mounting on national authorities to intervene before the crisis deepens.
