Liberia: Health Authorities Request Additional Funding to Combat Mpox Outbreak
May 22, 2025
With four active mpox cases confirmed in Liberia, national health authorities have urged the House of Representatives for increased funding to contain the outbreak. Declared a global emergency by WHO, mpox requires swift and sustained action. Liberia’s Ministry of Health and NPHIL seek support for surveillance, diagnostics, and public awareness. However, lawmakers have raised serious concerns about transparency, demanding accountability for past funds, including US$700,000 allocated in the national budget. The call for urgent financial backing is clear, but so is the need for clarity on fund management to ensure an effective and trustworthy public health response.
Liberia’s Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) have appealed to the House of Representatives for urgent financial support to combat a growing mpox outbreak, now comprising four confirmed cases. With the World Health Organization still classifying mpox as a public health emergency of international concern, the call for increased funding highlights the mounting pressure on Liberia’s fragile health system to mount a timely and effective response.
The requested funding is earmarked for essential efforts, including improved laboratory diagnostics, enhanced infection prevention and control, epidemiological surveillance, and targeted vaccination for frontline workers and confirmed contacts. Despite 8,000 doses of vaccine currently available, limited supplies remain a challenge, especially with cross-border risks from neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea.
But the request has not come without scrutiny. Lawmakers demanded transparency and accountability, citing alleged tensions between NPHIL and the Ministry of Health over fund management. Legislators, including Rep. Musa Hassan Bility and Rep. Anthony Williams, requested detailed records on testing and expenditures, particularly the use of US$700,000 already allocated in the national budget. A unanimous motion now mandates the health authorities to submit a comprehensive report to relevant House committees.
Liberia’s health leaders must move swiftly to protect public health—but equally crucial is maintaining public trust. Financial transparency, especially during a health emergency, is not a formality—it is foundational to effective governance and community cooperation. As health officials continue critical work to contain the outbreak, lawmakers’ oversight should ensure that resources are well spent and impact is measurable.
Liberia now stands at a critical juncture: it must confront a growing health threat while demonstrating the accountability and coordination necessary for long-term health resilience and international support.