MONROVIA, LIBERIA-The Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS) 10th Convocation and general annual Scientific Meeting kicked off over the weekend with a focus on resilient, Equitable and Sustainable Health systems for Liberia by 2030.
The two-day event, which commenced from September 17 to 18, brought together physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, policy makers, educators, researchers and trainees for plenary sessions, scientific presentations, panel discussions and leadership dialogue.
Delivering the keynote address on day one of the event, the Executive Director of Partners in Health, Dr. Max Luma, highlighted Liberia’s recovery from Ebola and Covid-19, emphasizing the need to move from recovery to resilience.
Dr. Luma stated that key strategies to ensure resilience include expanding community health programs, investing in workforce development, and embracing innovation.
Dr. Luma stressed the importance of national ownership, equity and digital transformation, adding that reduced international funding poses challenges but also opportunities for local innovation and efficiency.
The Partners in Health boss called for commitment to the vision of a resilient, equitable and sustainable health system that serves all Liberians and adapts to changing circumstances.
Speaking on behalf of Health Minister Dr. Louis Kpoto, the acting Assistant Minister for Curative Services, Dr. Teya Sackie Moore praised the LCPS for its role in medical training and contributions to the health sector.
Dr. Moore highlighted the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals and the need to improve health indicators, including maternal mortality by 2030.
He discussed the continent’s need for more health workers, estimating an additional three million required by 2030, emphasizing the need for sustainable national response efforts.
The Assistant Health Minister called for continued collaboration among the ministry partners and LCPS to build a resilient health system and improve health indicators.
He commended the progress made in epidemic preparedness and response, but re-echoed the need for sustainable national efforts.
The Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons, during the convening of its 10th Convocation ceremony held on September 19, 2026, marked a decade of advancing postgraduate medical education in Liberia.
The college graduated 11 specialist doctors and inducted seven others as fellows of the college, marking significant growth in specialist training and faculty capacity since its inception.
The President of the ECOWAS Regional Council for Health Professionals’ Education, Prof. Agnon Koffi Balogou, outlined the strategic framework for transforming Liberia’s health system into a resilient, equitable, and sustainable model by 2030.
Serving as Keynote Speaker of the convocation, Dr. Balogou focused on moving beyond general commitments towards a coherent architecture for the Liberia Health agenda, emphasizing that resilience, equity and sustainability must be integrated, not isolated goals,
Dr. Balogun said: To achieve the goals of the Annual General Scientific Meeting, the following five critical mandates should be operational; Establish a people centred primary healthcare platforms; implement a workforce compact to train, license, and deploy professionals.
Other areas are integration of quality assurance through accreditation, supervision and continuing professional development, adopt data led management; and ensuring sustainable financing, procurement, and infrastructure, he noted.
For his part, the President of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Professor John Mulbah, outlined key achievements of the College to include the expansion of faculty from 4 to 11members, increase in specialists from an initial 15 to 166.
Professor Mulbah said despite recent successes, several systemic obstacles threaten the sustainability of specialist medical education.
The LCPS President named financial constraints, logistical and human resource gaps, retention issues, and research limitations.
Dr. Mulbah said:” The college intends to improve on its curriculum and training, invest in technology, strengthen partnerships, and calls for more domestic and diaspora medical professionals to invest in mentorship and clinical services in Liberia”.
The Chief Medical Officer of Liberia. Dr. Catherine Cooper outlined critical requirements for strengthening the national Health Infrastructure of Liberia beyond the recovery from Ebola and Covid-19.
Dr. Cooper said:” Building a system capable of preventing, detecting, and responding to public threats and investing in strong leadership, trained professionals, reliable information systems, and adequate infrastructure are the critical requirements”.
Speaking on behalf of Health Minister Dr. Louis Kpoto, at the 10th Convocation of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS), Dr. Cooper urged the graduates to treat every patient with compassion, dignity and respect.
The Chief Medical Officer encouraged the graduates to become lifelong learners who engage in research and evidence-based practice, emphasizing that the expertise of the professionals is vital for strengthening Liberia’s health system.
Dr. Cooper commended the college for its dedication to professional training and admonished the college to expand its training opportunities and promote the retention of qualified specialists in the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Jeety Rubber Corporation Dr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva has assured of his commitment to advancing health and eye care services in Liberia.
Dr. Sachdeva, commonly known as Jeety, speaking when he received an Honorary Fellowship from the Liberia Postgraduate College, said his organization will deploy a fully equipped mobile eye-care van for community eye camps and screening.
The prominent businessman and current Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovakia to Liberia disclosed his coordination with the Ministry of Health and the LCPS to complement the national health system and support patients’ referrals.
Dr. Sachdeva also revealed plans to pursue a formal partnership with LCPS to make his eye hospital available for supervised clinical rotations for medical residents.
Dr. Sachdeva expressed gratitude for being named an honorary fellow in medicine by the college at its 10th Convocation and Annual General Scientific Meeting over the weekend.
Still at the event, the University of Liberia President, Dr. Layli Maparyan, acknowledged the institution’s ten-year milestone of providing postgraduate medical and surgical training.
Dr. Maparyan emphasized that Liberia’s health future depends on developing human capital, research capacity and leadership rather than physical Infrastructure and that LCPS is identified as a vital entity for building such capacities.
The UL President noted that building local capacity is essential to reduce dependence on external expertise and address specific Liberian health challenges.
Dr. Maparyan said a resilient and equitable health system is one capable of withstanding shocks through preparedness and strong institutions, and it must ensure quality health care is accessible regardless of location, wealth, or gender.
She said:” While a sustainable system requires long-term investment in people, infrastructure, research, and technology, graduates must go beyond treating patients and mentor others, conduct research, and contribute to national health policy”.
The two-day events were celebrated under the theme: Resilient, Equitable, and Sustainable Health Systems for Liberia 2030.