(Monrovia, Liberia, May 7, 2026)—The Ministry of Health (MOH) has commenced a two-day Obstetric Ultrasound Review, Analysis and Gap Validation Workshop under the Sonography Outreach for Neonatal and Maternal Risk-Reduction (SONAR) program to strengthen maternal and neonatal healthcare delivery across Liberia.
The workshop, which brings together sonographers, radiologists, clinicians, maternal health experts and frontline healthcare workers, is aimed at validating a national training manual that will guide the deployment and use of obstetric ultrasound services across Liberia’s health system.
This forms part of the Ministry’s 365-Day Neonatal Action Plan, which seeks to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths through early detection and timely management of pregnancy-related complications.
The SONAR program represents a strategic intervention designed to bridge persistent gaps in maternal healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to diagnostic services remains limited.
Opening the workshop, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Teyah S. Moore, said the effort is meant to decentralize ultrasound services and improve pregnancy outcomes nationwide.
Dr. Moore praised participants for their commitment and underscored the importance of developing a standardized national framework for obstetric sonography training and outreach.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Health has already begun distributing ultrasound machines beyond Liberia’s national referral facilities to county referral hospitals, health centers, and selected clinics across the country.
According to him, approximately 43 ultrasound machines have so far been deployed to health facilities as part of the Ministry’s ongoing maternal health strengthening agenda.
“We are not only focusing on John F. Kennedy Medical Center,” Dr. Moore said. “We have expanded the distribution to county hospitals, health centers and clinics because we want pregnant women across Liberia to have access to early diagnostic services.”
The Acting Chief Medical Officer recalled that the Ministry recently conducted a three-day capacity-building training for healthcare workers on the use of ultrasound equipment but acknowledged that additional technical guidance and mentorship remain necessary.
“That training alone was not enough,” he stated. “This workshop is important because your expertise is required to help us validate a comprehensive training manual that can be used to train trainers and health workers in all fifteen counties.”
Dr. Moore emphasized that the validation exercise marks the beginning of efforts to establish a coordinated national ultrasound outreach system capable of detecting pregnancy complications early and strengthening referral pathways.
He noted that expanding obstetric sonography services would significantly contribute to reducing preventable maternal and neonatal deaths, particularly among high-risk pregnancies.
Also speaking during the workshop, Dr. Cynthia Blapooh, Lead for the SONAR project, said the program was specifically designed to bridge healthcare delivery gaps in hard-to-reach communities through portable ultrasound technology.
She explained that the project focuses on deploying portable sonography services to last-mile health facilities where pregnant women often lack access to timely diagnostic care.
According to Dr. Blapooh, the validation process is essential to ensuring quality assurance, patient safety, and diagnostic accuracy in the use of ultrasound services across Liberia.
“This validation is the cornerstone of trust,” she said. “We are validating this manual to ensure every scan meets the highest safety and diagnostic standards.”
She added that once the validation process is completed, the Ministry and its partners will proceed with the printing and nationwide dissemination of the manual for use by ultrasound teams, mentors and healthcare workers stationed across the country.
Dr. Blapooh further stressed that mentorship and continuous training would remain central to the sustainability of the SONAR Initiative and the broader maternal health agenda.
The workshop brought together 22 participants, including sonographers, clinicians, maternal health specialists and representatives from various health institutions and county health teams.
Participants are expected to review technical guidelines, assess operational gaps and provide recommendations that will shape the final version of the national obstetric ultrasound training manual.
Timely ultrasound screening during pregnancy can play a crucial role in identifying complications such as fetal abnormalities, multiple pregnancies, placental disorders and other high-risk conditions that contribute to maternal and neonatal mortality.
The Ministry of Health notes that expanding access to portable ultrasound technology and strengthening the skills of frontline health workers could help improve early detection, referral and management of pregnancy-related complications.
The workshop is expected to conclude with the formal validation of the training manual and recommendations for nationwide implementation of obstetric ultrasound outreach services.