MONROVIA — A nurse has been suspended and arrested after an audio recording attributed to her claiming that Ebola patients were secretly being treated at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center read rapidly across social media, triggering nationwide panic and forcing health authorities to issue an emergency denial.
The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), the Ministry of Health, and JFK Medical Center issued a joint statement categorically denying that Liberia has recorded any confirmed, probable, or suspected Ebola cases, describing the audio as misleading and capable of generating unnecessary public fear.
Hours later, however, NPHIL disclosed that 16 travelers from Ebola-affected countries, including Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are currently under surveillance in Liberia as part of enhanced national preparedness measures. None of the individuals under surveillance has tested positive for Ebola.
The viral audio, attributed to nurse Paola N. Bedell, alleged that travelers returning from a church conference in Uganda had developed Ebola-like symptoms, including vomiting and red eyes, and had been transferred from JFK to an Ebola holding center.
The recording spread across social media platforms within hours, emptying churches, businesses, and public spaces as Liberians recalled the devastating 2014–2016 outbreak that killed more than 4,800 people in the country.
Speaking to journalists, Bedell insisted the information did not originate with her alone. She linked JFK Nursing Director Joana Joekai and a staff member identified as Loulou Kenyeh to discussions at an in-service nurses’ training session on Ebola preparedness. She alleged that five individuals who entered Liberia through Roberts International Airport fell critically ill and were brought to JFK before being transferred to surveillance teams.
“Among these people, five of them were sick and were brought to JFK Medical Center. I only wanted to alert my fellow nurses because we are frontline workers.” Paola N. Bedell, Suspended Nurse
Joena Joekai issued a detailed rebuttal on Monday, clarifying that the training sessions were purely precautionary and focused on infection prevention, patient triaging, and the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the event of a future outbreak.
“At no point during these educational engagements did I, or any member of my team, disclose or suggest that Liberia has any confirmed Ebola case,” Joekai said, emphasizing that only the Ministry of Health has the legal authority to officially declare Ebola cases in Liberia.
As a result of the incident, JFK Medical Center suspended Bedell from the E.S. Grant Psychiatric Hospital with immediate effect pending a full investigation. She was arrested on Saturday, May 23, and later released to her legal counsel. Hospital authorities noted that the suspension should not be interpreted as an automatic finding of guilt.
NPHIL’s confirmation that 16 individuals are under active surveillance from Ebola-affected countries has complicated public perception of the official denials.
According to earlier testimony before the House of Representatives, the monitored travelers include nine Ugandans, three Liberians, one Congolese traveler from the DRC, one Canadian, and one Ethiopian.
With active Ebola outbreaks currently recorded in Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan, Liberia’s public health authorities remain under intense pressure to maintain transparent, timely, and accurate communication to prevent fear from outpacing the facts.
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