(Monrovia, Liberia, September 2, 2026) —The Ministry, through its National AIDS and STI Control Program (NACP), in collaboration with Evidence Action, celebrated an increase in maternal syphilis screening on Wednesday.
The program, designed to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of syphilis and contribute to the country’s triple-elimination agenda, has expanded testing and treatment for pregnant women by integrating syphilis screening into routine antenatal and HIV services.
Speaking during the celebration, Dr. Cualllau J. Howe, Assistant Minister for Preventive Services, said the milestone represented an important step towards improving maternal and newborn health.
“As the Ministry of Health, we are pleased to be here representing the Minister of Health, Chief Medical Officer and the entire Ministry of Health team to support the NACP and our partner Evidence Action in celebrating this important achievement,” Dr. Howe said.
She said the success should ultimately be measured by its impact on pregnant women and newborns.
“The true beneficiaries are our pregnant women and newborns,” she said, stressing that timely prevention, detection and treatment of syphilis during antenatal care could save lives and prevent serious complications.
Dr. Howe commended Evidence Action and other partners for their support, while noting that maternal and newborn deaths remained a major challenge for Liberia’s health system.
Emilie Efronson, County Director of Evidence Action, said the achievement is as a largely Liberian-owned success, praising the Ministry of Health, NACP, county health teams and frontline workers for their contribution.
“This was a Liberian-owned story from day one, and I think it shows that it’s possible to go from 8 percent screening coverage in 2020 to almost 80 percent in less than six years,” Efronson said.
She said the program had transformed access to antenatal syphilis screening, with all 15 counties and 567 facilities providing antenatal care now equipped to screen pregnant women.
She urged stakeholders to concentrate on maintaining the progress rather than allowing the gains to decline after the program’s expansion phase.
“As we think about celebrating success, reaching syphilis screening at almost 80 percent, we have created the infrastructure for Hepatitis B,” she said.
Dr. Jonathan Flomo, Director of the National AIDS/STI Control Program, thanked Evidence Action and other development partners for supporting Liberia’s maternal syphilis response.
“This is a milestone that we will honor and continue to celebrate, and together we can make progress,” Dr. Flomo said.
He expressed confidence that Liberia could position itself as a country demonstrating best practices in maternal health interventions.
The celebration also provided an opportunity for health authorities, county teams and partners to reflect on the program’s implementation identify lessons learned and discuss the transition towards sustainable government-led services.
The gains are also expected to support the country’s triple-elimination agenda, with existing systems potentially providing a platform for strengthening screening for other infections, including Hepatitis B.