A major public hospital in central Liberia is again facing the threat of a complete shutdown after staff at Phebe Referral Hospital issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding payment for seven reinstated employees, in a dispute that has exposed deep divisions within the country's health administration.
The president of the Phebe Workers Association Mr. Moses D.N Davis has told Daily Observer that they would stage another major protest halting the operations of the referral facility for the second time in this year, if salaries owed to colleagues who returned to work on 13 March are not paid within two days. The warning follows weeks of negotiations that have failed to resolve a widening conflict involving hospital management, government ministries and civil service authorities.
At the center of the crisis are seven employees who were suspended after taking part in an unauthorized protest in February. Following high-level meetings involving the presidency, the Civil Service Agency and the Ministry of Health, a directive was issued for their reinstatement.
The hospital administration subsequently lifted the suspensions, allowing the workers to resume their duties. However, staff representatives say the reinstated employees have not been paid for March, despite returning to work.
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Workers allege that the Civil Service Agency later removed the seven individuals from the payroll, in what they describe as a contradiction of the presidential directive.
In a strong statement issued on April 6, 2025, Phebe employees said they could no longer work under the current leadership of the hospital, citing longstanding grievances.
They accused senior officials, including the medical director, acting human resources officer and acting administrator, of mismanagement and called for their removal. The statement also criticized the administration led by the hospital's administrator, noting its actions were "disrespectful" to both the Ministry of Health and the presidency.
"We can no longer work under the current administrative leadership," the workers said, adding that there was "no room for compromise or further negotiation."
The dispute has been further complicated by a separate issue involving three employees who were officially transferred by the government but have refused to take up their new assignments.
Hospital staff say management has continued to engage with these individuals despite their non-compliance, raising questions about adherence to government directives. The three employees have also reportedly rejected a newly appointed human resources officer.
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In an unprecedented move, the remaining 415 staff members have called on the government to transfer them as well, if the situation is not resolved.
Workers have warned that failure to meet their demands within 48 hours will result in a complete shutdown of hospital services, potentially affecting thousands of patients in Bong County and surrounding areas.
They also stated that the hospital's administrator would not be allowed to continue working if the deadline passes without action.
The hospital is a key referral facility in central Liberia, and any disruption could have serious consequences for healthcare delivery in the region.
The crisis has raised broader concerns about coordination within Liberia's public sector, particularly between the Civil Service Agency, the Ministry of Health and the presidency.
While the government had intervened to resolve the initial protest by ordering the reinstatement of suspended staff, the subsequent payroll dispute has highlighted apparent inconsistencies in implementation.
Officials have not publicly responded in detail to the latest ultimatum, but pressure is mounting for swift intervention to prevent further escalation.
The events at Phebe Hospital underscore the fragile state of labour relations in Liberia's health sector, where disputes over pay, authority and governance can quickly disrupt essential services.
With the 48-hour deadline now in effect, attention is focused on whether the government can broker a last-minute solution -- or whether one of the country's key hospitals will be forced to shut its doors.
