Liberia: Margibi Superintendent Halts C.H. Rennie Hospital Project Over Lack of Consultation

9 February 2026
The Liberian Investigator (Monrovia)
By Emmanuel Degleh

- Margibi County Superintendent Ojay Morris has expressed serious concern over the Ministry of Health's decision to proceed with the reconstruction of the C.H. Rennie Hospital without involving county authorities, ordering an immediate suspension of work on the project.

Superintendent Morris is calling on the Ministry to halt all construction activities until county officials are fully involved in the planning and review process, citing the hospital's critical importance to Margibi County and surrounding communities. The C.H. Rennie Hospital serves an estimated population of more than 250,000 people across Margibi and neighboring counties.

The project has become the center of growing controversy, particularly over funding constraints and changes to the hospital's original design. The Ministry of Health had earlier proposed constructing a 150-bed capacity facility, but recent information indicates that the plan has been scaled down to a 100-bed hospital, reportedly due to financial constraints.

On Sunday, Superintendent Morris, through a public notice, halted the ongoing construction works. He said the suspension will remain in effect until a meeting is held to review the project's blueprint and to ensure that county engineers and local authorities are properly involved in the process.

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His action follows reports that the Ministry of Health moved forward with the project without formally notifying the county administration or the public. In addition to the reduction in bed capacity, the project site has reportedly been changed from the previously agreed location to Dartu-ta, a community outside Kakata, further fueling concerns among local authorities and residents.

The Margibi County Administration is now urging the Ministry of Health to reconsider these decisions and engage local stakeholders to ensure that the rebuilt hospital truly meets the healthcare needs of the community.

The C.H. Rennie Hospital was destroyed by fire on August 15, 2021, reportedly caused by an electrical fault. The blaze started in the operating theater and quickly spread, destroying the emergency room, pharmacy, records room, waiting area, and administrative offices.

Following the incident, the government pledged to rebuild the hospital, announcing that an initial US$800,000 had been secured for the project. Since the fire, Margibi County has been without a public referral hospital, a situation that has placed the county's healthcare system under severe strain and raised fears of a possible collapse.

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