Liberia is championing a collaborative approach to strengthen health systems across Africa, hosting a pivotal regional conference aimed at transforming public service and healthcare delivery. The Regional Public Service Leadership Conference on Health Workforce Development, held in Monrovia from March 4th to 7th, 2025, brought together representatives from several West and Central African nations, including Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic. The conference underscored the shared commitment of these nations to tackle critical workforce challenges and build more resilient health systems capable of providing quality healthcare to all citizens.
The theme of the conference, “Advancing human health workforce through public service excellence: building resilient, and institutions for sustainable development,” encapsulates the core objective: fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing to elevate healthcare standards across the region. Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto, addressed the forum, pledging to institutionalize best health practices through collaborative initiatives. These efforts aim to address systemic issues plaguing health systems, such as ghost workers, inefficient placement processes, and suboptimal workforce performance. Dr. Kpoto emphasized the importance of establishing a robust network for the health workforce in Liberia, focused on merit-based recruitment and performance evaluation.
Central to the conference’s agenda is the recognition of the interconnectedness of regional health challenges. By fostering collaboration and sharing best practices, participating countries aim to collectively improve their healthcare systems. Dr. Kpoto highlighted the conference’s significance as a testament to the shared commitment to enhancing public service excellence and workforce development. She emphasized Liberia’s dedication to hosting this critical dialogue, recognizing the urgent need for regional cooperation to address common health challenges. The focus on building a resilient health workforce capable of delivering quality healthcare to every citizen underscores the conference’s overarching goal.
The conference program featured panel discussions and in-depth analyses of the key challenges impeding public administration and effective healthcare governance. These discussions provided a platform for sharing experiences and strategizing solutions to address these critical issues. The Civil Service Agency Director General, Josiah Joekai, further emphasized the transformative potential of the conference, highlighting its role in building more resilient and innovative public service institutions across the region. This emphasis on sustainable development underscores the long-term vision of the conference and its commitment to lasting improvements in healthcare systems.
The Regional Public Service Leadership Conference signifies a crucial step toward strengthening healthcare systems and fostering collaboration among African nations. The conference’s focus on public service excellence and building resilient institutions lays the groundwork for sustainable development in the health sector. By addressing critical issues like ghost workers, placement inefficiencies, and suboptimal performance, participants aim to create more effective and equitable health systems. The establishment of a network for the health workforce, with an emphasis on merit-based recruitment, symbolizes a commitment to enhancing the quality and professionalism of healthcare services.
This collaborative effort reflects a growing recognition of the importance of regional cooperation in tackling complex health challenges. By sharing experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions, participating countries aim to collectively raise the standard of healthcare delivery across Africa. The conference’s emphasis on sustainable development underscores the long-term commitment to building resilient health systems capable of meeting the diverse needs of their populations. The initiative also highlights the critical role of leadership and public service excellence in driving positive change within the health sector. This focus on capacity building and strengthening institutions lays the foundation for sustained improvements in healthcare access and quality across the region.
