The Director General of the Civil Service Agency, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., has disclosed that over 600 healthcare volunteers, including intern doctors and pharmacists, have been officially placed on the Government of Liberia payroll under the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Dr. Joekai made the announcement on Saturday while delivering the keynote address at the official launch of the Monrovia Study Center of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP), held at the Monrovia City Hall.
He described the move as a bold step in restoring dignity to Liberia’s healthcare workforce, many of whom had worked for years without compensation or recognition.
“For years, pharmacists, intern doctors, and rural clinicians labored in silence. No recognition. No compensation. No system to protect them. But no more,” Dr. Joekai said. “We’re not just counting numbers—we’re restoring dignity to the healthcare workforce.”
He further highlighted the Boakai-led government’s introduction of a nationwide salary top-up program for key public sector workers, including health professionals, teachers, security forces, and agricultural technicians—ensuring those who carry the weight of the nation do so with dignity and motivation.
Dr. Joekai also used the occasion to reaffirm the CSA’s commitment to protecting and promoting the welfare of healthcare professionals through strong legal and civil service frameworks. He emphasized Liberia’s leadership on the Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA)—a continental platform he currently chairs—aimed at integrating healthcare workers into formal civil service structures across Africa.
“The CSA is committed to ensuring that every healthcare professional is protected by law, compensated by right, and elevated by merit,” he asserted.
In addition to workforce reforms, Dr. Joekai praised Liberia’s growing presence on the global stage. He noted that the country’s recent seat on the UN Security Council, its leadership role in ECOWAS and the African Union, and the hosting of the WAPCP presidency, are all testaments to Liberia’s reemergence as a regional force.
He commended Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto for her steady leadership in strengthening the country’s health system and encouraged young pharmacists to embrace the new opportunities the study center presents, describing it as a platform for innovation, leadership, and service to humanity.
