By Siaway T. Miapue with New Narratives

Summary:

• A rural Liberian health clinic has been renovated with funding from an American religious group, more than a year after FrontPage/New Narratives investigation exposed deadly conditions for women giving birth there.
• Liberia’s maternal mortality rate is among the world’s highest. Infant mortality in rural areas is particularly high.  
• Despite the new maternity ward, residents say the lack of an ambulance for emergency transfers remains a critical gap, with one woman recounting how her sister’s baby died waiting for transport.

ARTHINGTON, Montserrado— More than a year after an investigation documented the deadly risks women faced giving birth at a rural government clinic here, the facility has been renovated and equipped with a new maternity ward, officials said at a dedication ceremony this month.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint funded the renovation of the Arthington Health Center after the cash-strapped Ministry of Health recommended it to the American religious organization that was looking for areas where it could address gaps. The conditions at Arthington were spotlighted in a 2024 FrontPage/New Narratives investigation that found they had contributed to infant deaths and forced women to give birth in dangerous conditions at home or on the way to the clinic.

The project included renovation of the clinic building, construction of a maternity ward, a new toilet facility, upgrades to the water tower, and provision of medical equipment and supplies. “When we took over as Minister of Health, this was one of the first facilities I came to, and when I entered the facility, I felt depressed,” Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, Liberia’s health minister, said at the dedication. “The condition I met the facility in, I went, and I told Dr. Cooper that what I saw in Arthington is appalling, and we have to invest in Arthington’s clinic.”

Liberia has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates. According to a World Bank report, the country’s maternal mortality ratio stood at 628 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, down from 1,749 in 2000 but still well above the Sub-Saharan African average of 536.

Infant mortality in rural areas remains high at 55 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 39 in urban areas, according to Liberia’s 2022 census report.

Clinical data from the Arthington Health Center show 684 live births between 2019 and May 2025, with five neonatal deaths recorded in 2020 alone.

A Triumph For Good Journalism

Bernard Blue Benson, the district lawmaker, said the renovation showed the power of good journalism. “I have been telling people that there is an individual who came into my office who had a very extensive interview with me about this facility,” he said. “And to see it being renovated is a wonderful thing, and we are looking for other journalists to do investigative journalism that emulates the success of that story.”

Debbie Kwashie, the officer-in-charge whose accounts were featured in the 2024 investigation, acknowledged facing criticism for speaking publicly at the time about the facility’s conditions.

“Before this place could be renovated, it was not an easy task; there were a lot of lashes, but as God could have it, God was able to answer our prayers, and the Church of the Latter-day Saints came in, and they were able to renovate this place,” she said. “For the journalist, I want to appreciate your efforts and time. Yes, it may make a lot of people vex, but at the end of the day, they were able to implement what we are seeing today.”

Elder Adeyinka Ayodeji Ojediran, first counselor of the Africa West Area Presidency of the Church, said the goal was to “improve access to quality health care for the people of Montserrado County.”

He appealed to the community to maintain the facility. “A building, no matter how well constructed, will only serve its purpose if it is cared for, maintained, and used wisely,” he said.

Renovation Offers One Bright Spot in a Failing System

The government’s 2026 draft national budget allocates approximately $101.71 million, or 8.4 percent of the $1.2 billion budget, to the health sector. It leaves little money to fund the renovation and upkeep of Liberia’s many badly needed health facilities. Donor money – particularly from the United States – has nearly doubled that budget in many years and still not been able to support the upkeep and renovation, particularly in rural areas. But with this year’s cuts to the United States Agency for International Development and other European donors, the overall situation looks dire.

Health experts say Liberia needs to dramatically increase investment in its health sector, as current funding falls far below what is required to provide even basic, reliable care. The World Health Organization recommends that countries spend about $US86 per person each year to deliver essential health services, but Liberia has budgeted less than $20 a person, leaving hospitals understaffed, clinics without medicines, and laboratories unable to track threats like antimicrobial resistance. Analysts warn that closing the gap will require hundreds of millions of dollars in additional yearly investment—from both government and donors—to strengthen emergency preparedness, upgrade equipment, ensure steady drug supplies, and build a health system capable of protecting the population from outbreaks and everyday illnesses alike.

Residents welcomed the renovation but raised concerns about continuing gaps in care. The renovation did not include staff quarters, where Kwashie previously reported leaks and a lack of electricity. Health experts say poor staff housing undermines retention at rural facilities.

There was also concern about the lack of an ambulance for emergencies. The clinic currently relies on calling the nearby hydroelectric facility for ambulance assistance.

Patience Gaye, 18, and a resident seven months pregnant with her second child, speaking in Liberian English, said the renovation meant women would no longer have to give birth in the bush or at home.

“I feel fine, because they turned our clinic over to us, we will not suffer,” she said. But she described how the absence of emergency transport had taken the life of her sister’s baby. “It happened to my sister here one time. Wasting time, wasting time, the ambulance not come soon,” Gaye said. “How they carry her. She gives birth, the baby not live; the baby die.”

Benson, the lawmaker, said he would push for continued funding. “I am going to push the case for this facility to be upkept and make it one of the best not only in the district but in the country,” he said.

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the “Investigating Liberia” project. Funding came from the Swedish Embassy in Liberia. The donor had no say in the story’s content.