Liberia: Lawmaker Threatens Legislative Action On Phebe Hospital Crisis

Bong County District #5 lawmaker Eugine J.M Kollie has warned he will raise the deteriorating conditions at Phebe Hospital on the floor of parliament if the government fails to respond by Monday, while urging the Civil Service Agency to immediately lift the suspension of workers who staged a "go-slow" protest.

Representative Kollie made the remarks on Thursday, February 26, 2026, during which he visited the facility in Suakoko, where he toured wards and the laboratory and met both striking staff and hospital administrators.

The lawmaker, whose district includes the hospital, described parts of the facility as being in poor condition and said the workers' action was justified.

"They are standing for Liberia. They are standing for the betterment of our people," Rep. Kollie told staff. "They want the best thing to be done in the TB hospital... If it is because of the condition of the facility, of course they are not wrong."

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He directly appealed to Civil Service Agency Director-General Dr Josiah F. Joekai Jr to reconsider the suspension of several staff members who took part in the go-slow.

"I would like to call on the CSA Director-General... to plead with him that the information we got... that a few of them were suspended because of the action they took," he said. "It is good that they didn't cause any damage. I want to plead with him to reconsider his decision because they are speaking in the right direction that this government will succeed."

The Bong District #5 lawmaker, who recently returned from the United States, announced he would personally arrange for medical supplies to be shipped to the hospital "very soon".

"Besides touring the facility and gearing for them, we have decided now to impact on the distribution of medical supplies," he said. "We'll have to find a truck to ship down a portion of the items before reaching out to all the smaller facilities within the district."

During the tour he highlighted severe shortcomings, including an allocation of only US$1,000 in the national budget for renovation -- a sum he called "actually small".

In the chemical laboratory he observed staff washing equipment by hand in conditions he described as unacceptable.

"I've visited the chemical lab. I visited everywhere. I saw that the guys are using their hands to wash... plugs here that shouldn't be used," he said. "I think a washing machine is going to be better to be used for that. There are a lot of things that we saw here that we're going to make sure the government makes more allotment for Phebe Hospital."

Rep. Kollie said he would take an official statement from the workers to the Bong County Legislative Caucus for collective action. He warned that if there is no response from the central government by Monday, he will formally table the matter in the House of Representatives.

"If we cannot get the government's attention between now and Monday, then of course we will look into the plight and we will put a communication on the floor," he said.

He gave a strong personal assurance to residents of District 5.

"We will not stop coming here to this facility until at least the cry of our people is heard," he declared.

Phebe Hospital is one of Liberia's key referral centres specializing in tuberculosis treatment. Services have been severely disrupted in recent days by the workers' protest over poor infrastructure, equipment shortages and unresolved administrative issues.

The development comes as pressure mounts on the government to improve healthcare delivery across rural counties.

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