By Jessica Cox
SUAKOKO, Bong County — The Liberian government has suspended seven employees of Phebe Hospital for one month without pay following a protest that authorities say breached patient confidentiality and operational protocols at the facility.
Acting Information Minister Daniel Sando confirmed the suspensions on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, during a government press briefing at the Ministry of Information. He stated that the Civil Service Agency took the disciplinary action after a protest by hospital workers escalated when journalists were escorted through parts of the facility and live-streaming allegedly exposed patient care areas, raising serious concerns about patient privacy.
The suspended employees have been identified as Moses D. Davis, Nicolas Peter, Peter Yaller, J. Steven B.K. One, Doris Bean, Jefferson Small, and James Small. According to Minister Sando, the measure relates to violations of civil service standing orders that govern the conduct of public servants. He emphasized that public health facilities must remain professional spaces where patient dignity is protected and stressed that hospitals should not become arenas for protests that could compromise care or confidentiality.
The Civil Service Agency has clarified that the suspensions are administrative in nature and not criminal, and that full investigations will determine whether any further action is necessary.
The protest that led to these suspensions was rooted in ongoing disputes between staff and hospital management over salary issues. Employees at Phebe had placed the facility on lockdown the previous week after negotiations with a board member broke down. Workers said the action followed prolonged disagreements over pay-related concerns, and they had been demanding that the hospital’s administration address their grievances. The breakdown in those talks prompted employees to lock the premises in an effort to pressure management for a resolution.
Phebe Hospital, established in the early twentieth century with historical ties to the Lutheran Church in Liberia, serves as one of the country’s oldest referral facilities. It provides maternal and child health services, surgery, internal medicine, and laboratory diagnostics to patients in Bong County and neighboring regions. The hospital also functions as a training site for health professionals and is considered critical to decentralizing care and reducing pressure on national referral centers in Monrovia.
Behind the recent disruptions, workers at the facility have expressed deep concerns about their own welfare and how it affects their ability to care for patients. Staff have pointed to salary delays as a persistent problem that creates hardship for employees and their families. They also describe challenges related to limited medical supplies, equipment shortages, and infrastructure problems that make it difficult to maintain normal operations.
Some workers have indicated that the lack of meaningful engagement with management on these issues has left them feeling unheard and pushed to take drastic action.
Minister Sando confirmed that investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the protest and the media access to restricted areas. The outcome of those investigations will influence whether additional administrative measures are required. He reiterated during the briefing that uninterrupted healthcare delivery must remain a priority and that patient dignity and professional conduct must be upheld at all times.
