(Paynesville City, Montserrado County, August 1, 2025) – Before 2016, Liberia’s rural and remote populations endured persistent health service delivery gaps. These deficiencies were tragically highlighted during the 2014–2016 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, which exposed deep systemic weaknesses in Liberia’s national health architecture, particularly in underserved regions. In response, the crisis became a rallying point for national and international partners to commit to more sustainable, community-driven health solutions.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) responded by launching the National Community Health Assistant Program (NCHAP) to expand essential health services to Liberians living more than five kilometers from the nearest health facility. The program quickly became the country’s flagship initiative for rural health equity.
To champion legislative advocacy for the program, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with its development partners, today, Augustus 1, 2025, organized a forum with members of the House of Representatives. The event aimed to establish a formal Community Health Caucus within the Legislature to institutionalize and protect the National Community Health Program (NCHP) through policy and law.
The policy dialogue brought together lawmakers, senior health officials, and global health partners, including UNICEF, Africa CDC, Last Mile Health, and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). It marked the second major engagement between the Ministry and the Legislature following an earlier dialogue in 2022.
In her remarks, Dr. Catherine T. Cooper, Deputy Minister for Health Services and Chief Medical Officer-R.L., underscored the importance of legislative backing. “This meeting is a milestone in our journey to institutionalize the NCHP through legislative support,” she said. “The formation of the Community Health Caucus signifies Liberia’s commitment to community health as a national priority.”
Dr. Cuallau Jabbeh-Howe, Assistant Minister for Preventive Services, laid out a roadmap for sustained policy engagement. “The Community Health Caucus is a strategic platform for ongoing engagement and advocacy for national health priorities,” she said, emphasizing its role in anchoring the NCHP through governance. Dr. Howe: “We need a stronger policy framework backed by lawmakers to ensure the NCHP thrives. “
Lawmakers at the forum responded with enthusiasm. Representative Julie Fatorma Wiah of Lofa County District #2 and House Committee Chair on Health expressed full support for the program’s impact. “This program has transformed health service delivery in our rural areas,” she said. “As lawmakers, it is our duty to not only endorse it but to ensure its sustainability through legislation and funding.”
Representatives from UNICEF and Last Mile Health presented compelling data on the program’s impact since its 2016 transformation. Indicators showed improved maternal and child health outcomes, expanded community health coverage, and strengthened emergency response systems in remote regions.
Bringing a global perspective, Emmanuel Tieh Delamy of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator contextualized Liberia’s legislative move within an emerging international trend. “In Istanbul, lawmakers are at the forefront of health advocacy. Liberia now joins a global movement by creating this Community Health Caucus,” Delamy noted.
The Ministry pledged to intensify collaboration with lawmakers and partners, deepen public advocacy, and scale the program to reach all 15 counties.
By 2019, more than 3,000 CHAs had been trained and deployed, fully integrated into Liberia’s Health Sector Investment Plan. The Ministry also implemented a digital Health Management Information System (HMIS) to monitor and report CHA activities, guiding real-time planning and policy development.
Between 2020 and 2022, the MOH focused on strengthening quality, supervision, and sustainability. Key interventions included CHA-led COVID-19 response activities, expanded maternal and family planning services, and the absorption of CHA salaries into county budgets. A national Community Health Roadmap was also developed to align with Universal Health Coverage goals.