26/02/2026
JFKMC Unveils Strategic Plan Proposing a New State-of-the-Art JFK Hospital
Monrovia, Liberia: The John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC) has officially unveiled a $132 million strategic plan aimed at transforming healthcare delivery across Liberia.
The five years plan comes with a blueprint, a bold, evidence-based roadmap developed through a participatory, multi-stakeholder process to transition Liberia’s premier hospital into a high-performing, patient-centered, multispecialty, and innovation-led institution.
The official launch of the 2025–2029 strategic plan was held under the theme, “Reimagining Excellence – A New Era for John F. Kennedy Medical Center,” with an eight-pillar framework aligned with the ARREST Agenda, the vision prioritizes the expansion of clinical services, major infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, and adoption of modern health information systems.
The pillars for reimagining excellence and transformation at JFK include:
Strengthen leadership and governance
Build a skilled, motivated JFKMC health workforce
Deliver high-quality health services
Ensure essential medicines, medical supplies, blood and blood products, and diagnostic equipment
Modernize and expand health infrastructure
Strengthen medical education, training programs, and research
Implement a digital integrated health information system
Achieve financial sustainability
“JFK is committed to raising the standard of care in Liberia,” said Dr. Linda Birch, Chief Executive Officer of JFKMC. “This plan will strengthen our capacity to serve more patients with higher-quality, more reliable services while building a resilient system that can respond to future health challenges.”
The plan advances JFKMC's core functions of tertiary medical care, health workforce training, and research for health system improvement, said Dr. Birch.
She stressed that key initiatives includes, the construction of a new JFK Hospital, the extension of the left and right wings of the JFK Liberian-Japanese Maternity Center, and the construction of the JFK Trauma and Burn Center, a proposed 300-bed facility.
The JFK CEO explained that implementation of the agenda will be guided by detailed activity plans, defined timelines, institutional accountability structures, and robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
She told stakeholders attending the launch that a coordinated approach is essential to achieving the goals of the plan.
“With a population exceeding 5.5 million, Liberia's health indicators remain among the lowest in the world, necessitating an urgent, integrated response,” Dr. Birch explained. “Ultimately, JFKMC aims for measurable improvements in access, quality, timeliness, efficiency, and patient-centered care, contributing to national goals for Universal Health Coverage, health security, and equitable development. Success will depend on strong leadership, political will, adequate funding, and sustained commitment from all stakeholders,” the JFK CEO noted.
As Liberia's only tertiary health institution, JFKMC absorbs complex referrals from all 15 counties, yet it contends with severe infrastructure decay, workforce shortages, obsolete biomedical equipment, underfunding, and rising demand for specialized services.
The institution also faces emerging trends, including non-communicable diseases, re-emerging infections, and rapid digitization of healthcare.
The total cost of implementing this five-year plan is estimated at USD $132,873,330, with USD $9.5 million expected from the Government of Liberia’s Public Sector Investment Project (PSIP) over the next five years. This leaves a financing gap of USD $123,373,330 to be mobilized.
A speech delivered on behalf of House Speaker Richard Koon reaffirmed the Legislature’s commitment to supporting the hospital through fiscal measures. Speaker Koon described the hospital as a “national asset that must be protected, strengthened, and adequately supported,” noting that health is a political choice reflected in legislation and budget allocations.
“This strategic plan is not just a technical document; it is a social contract between JFKMC and the Liberian people,” he said. He emphasized that the framework will succeed only with sustained political will and consistent implementation. Koon’s speech was delivered by his chief of staff, Jerome Verdier.
Dr. Lorraine C. Cooper, speaking on behalf of Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, described the launch as a milestone.
“John F. Kennedy remains our primary tertiary referral hospital,” Cooper said. “We must, as a nation, do better than we have done over the years.”
She reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s support for expanding specialized services and strengthening research capacity.
Partners in attendance praised Dr. Birch and her management team for formulating a working tool that will transform healthcare delivery in Liberia. They assured JFKMC of their unwavering commitment to maintaining a multispecialty medical center offering services that meet national, regional, continental, and global standards.
The development of the plan was led by the Department of Planning and Business Development following a careful review of previous strategic plans, which revealed only 13.6% implementation of the 2016–2020 plan.
“I came here in October 2024, and my first mandate from the CEO was to develop a strategic plan,” said Milton B.M. Varmah, Director of Planning and Business Development. “For the past four years, the institution had no strategic plan. Our review of the 2016–2020 plan showed that only 13.6% was implemented, leaving a huge gap. The new plan aims to improve services and bring the health environment up to standard,” Varmah noted.
Ministry of Health, Republic of Liberia
