MONROVIA – The Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism (MICAT) has strongly denied rumors circulating on social media about a fee increase at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center (JFK), Liberia’s main referral hospital. However, this official denial comes amid persistent reports from patients and insiders detailing ongoing systemic challenges, including informal payments and medication shortages, that continue to plague the facility.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Deputy Minister for Public Affairs, Daniel O. Sando, called the claims “false, misleading, and intentionally crafted to cause public panic.” He clarified that a document shared online suggesting a fee hike was merely an internal draft that had not been approved by either hospital management or the Ministry of Health.
“There has been no official approval for any increase in service fees at JFK Hospital,” Sando emphasized. “The public should treat these circulating claims as baseless and deliberately misleading. This misinformation has the potential to erode public trust in our national institutions, especially in the health sector where accuracy is critical for public safety.”
Sando warned that such misinformation could deter citizens from seeking necessary medical care due to unfounded fears about affordability. He urged media outlets and social media users to verify sensitive information with official government sources before sharing it.
While debunking the rumors, Sando highlighted improvements at JFK, which he credited to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s agenda to revitalize the nation’s healthcare system. He mentioned increased availability of essential medications, better surgical and diagnostic services, and ongoing infrastructure upgrades.
“The Boakai administration is fully committed to transforming JFK into a center of excellence in medical service delivery,” Sando said. “No policy that will deter access to affordable healthcare will be entertained.” He added that any official decisions on fee changes would be transparently communicated through proper channels.
Patient Allegations Expose Lingering Issues
Despite the ministry’s reassurances, sources within JFK—including patients and staff—paint a different picture. They describe ongoing systemic issues that undermine the hospital’s service delivery and the government’s reform efforts.
Patients who spoke to our reporter anonymously detailed a frustrating cycle of being required to purchase medications from external pharmacies, such as the “Lucky pharmacy” across the street, because essential drugs are often out of stock inside the hospital.
“After waiting in line for hours, I was told by the nurse that the medication prescribed to me was not available,” one patient shared. “They directed me to a drugstore outside the hospital, where I had to buy the drugs with my own money. It’s frustrating, especially when you come here expecting government support.”
Further allegations point to medical staff soliciting informal payments, or “facilitation fees,” from patients before providing critical services, even in emergency cases.
“The practice of asking patients for money before treatment is becoming an open secret,” said a source within the hospital’s administration. “If you don’t know someone inside or if you’re not willing to ‘pay something under the table,’ your chances of getting quick and proper attention are slim. This is particularly painful for emergency cases where every minute counts.”
Insiders suggest that some disgruntled individuals within the hospital may be deliberately sabotaging the government’s reform efforts for personal or political gain, creating bottlenecks in service delivery to fuel public discontent.
“There are people inside who are not happy with the reforms,” the source said. “Some are trying to make the system look worse than it is to create public discontent against the government. Their actions are intended to damage the administration’s image.”
In response to these concerns, Sando stated that the Ministry of Health is working with JFK management to streamline operations, enhance accountability, and address any corrupt practices that compromise service delivery. The ministry is assuring the public that the government remains fully committed to tackling the systemic issues at JFK and other public health facilities.