…As GoL Vows to Increase Salaries of Specialist Doctors, Nurses, Midwives, Physician Assistants, Among Others for FY 2025
(November 20, 2024)—Monrovia: The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine K. Ngafuan, announced on November 19, 2024, that salary increments for health workers will take effect beginning January 2025. These measures are part of efforts to improve Liberia’s health sector, including salary increases for healthcare workers and reforms to regularize volunteer staff. Minister Ngafuan emphasized the government’s commitment to timely salary disbursements. “Beginning this month, we have rolled out a re-engineered payment process. The payment of government employees for November 2024 began on Friday, November 15, and salary accounts for more than 40 spending entities have already been credited,” he stated during a press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism. Minister Ngafuan disclosed that the government has allocated funds in the draft FY 2025 budget to address pay disparities in the health sector. “Beginning this month, we have rolled out a re-engineered payment process. The payment of government employees for November 2024 began on Friday, November 15th, and salary accounts for more than 40 spending entities have already been credited,” he said during a press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism.
Ngafuan: “We have allocated funds in the draft FY 2025 budget to increase the salaries of specialist doctors in the health sector by at least US$225 starting in January 2025. This is the first step toward fully regularizing the pay of those currently earning below their designated pay grades.” The Finance Minister continued: “The fifth measure In our year-one action plan is to adjust the salaries of additional employees, resulting in a monthly salary increase ranging from US$25 to US$50. Nurses, midwives, and physician assistants will receive a US$50 salary top-up per month, while other health workers in general administration will receive between US$25 and US$40, depending on their levels. In summary, approximately 28, 200 government workers, representing 45% of the workforce, are set to benefit from various salary top-ups in FY 2025.” “This is the first step toward fully regularizing the pay of those currently earning below their designated pay grades.” The government has earmarked $2.6 million in the FY 2025 budget to incorporate volunteer workers from the Ministries of Health and Education into the payroll. Ngafuan noted, “This funding will initiate a multi-year process to regularize volunteer workers following a rigorous vetting exercise.”
The reforms align with President Joseph N. Boakai’s administration’s promise to improving health worker welfare. Health Minister Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto has been a vocal advocate for reforms in Liberia’s health sector. Dr. Kpoto praised the administration’s focus on health sector reform, stating, “During my county tour, I met with community leaders and health workers directly to assess the challenges we inherited and where improvements are needed.” Dr. Kpoto has collaborated with the Civil Service Agency (CSA) and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) to address these challenges, highlighting the need to prioritize health worker welfare. “Increasing salaries and supporting volunteer health workers will be a key focus in the next budget cycle,” she told health workers recently prior to the Finance Minister’s pronouncement. The Ministry of Health reiterated its commitment to improving healthcare delivery and worker welfare. Dr. Kpoto stated, “This is a great moment for our country’s health sector. Together, we will build a system that serves every Liberian effectively and equitably. ”The Ministry has called on health workers and partners to maintain their dedication as these reforms are implemented. Health workers are encouraged to remain patient and cooperative as the government prioritizes their needs in this transformational agenda.