Liberia: Ministry of Health (MOH) Begins Three-day Workshop to Cut Maternal and Newborn Deaths

The Ministry of Health (MOH), in partnership with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and other development agencies, has opened a three-day national consultative workshop to map out strategies for reducing maternal and newborn deaths.

The workshop is held from 10–13 November 2025 in Monrovia, bringing together County Health Teams from all 15 counties, as well as UN bodies, NGOs, civil society groups, professional associations, and frontline health workers.

At the Opening, Health Minister Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto said the initiative is part of a renewed push to ensure “every mother survives childbirth and every child survives delivery.”

She described the effort as vital to reversing the country’s maternal and newborn death rates.

 “We must act with urgency,” Dr. Kpoto said. “Understanding the data helps us confront the realities and design evidence-based solutions.”

The minister noted that improvements in staffing and service delivery over the past two years had boosted morale among health workers, attributing the progress to stronger support systems. She also thanked Liberia’s development partners and President Joseph N. Boakai for what she called “renewed trust and investment in the health sector.”

Delivering remarks on behalf of UNFPA, the agency’s Deputy Representative, Leonard Kamugisha, said, “We must accelerate progress on all fronts.”

He praised the Ministry’s goal of a 40% reduction in maternal deaths by 2029, calling for “high-impact interventions, stronger domestic funding, and cross-sector collaboration” to reach the target.

Kamugisha expressed concern over the 2026 draft national budget, which allocates only US$40,000 for family planning and US$30,000 for maternal and child health programmes, urging lawmakers to boost spending.

“This roadmap should not be just another document,” he said. “It must be a covenant with Liberia’s women and girls, that every mother matters and every birth counts.”

Earlier, Dr Nuntia Gbalon, Director of the MOH’s Family Health Division, called for candid discussions to ensure that the new roadmap reflects the realities of Liberia’s health system at both national and community levels.

Representatives from professional bodies, UN agencies, and NGOs pledged continued support, through funding, technical assistance, and capacity building, to help drive down maternal and newborn deaths.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Liberia.