Residents of Yediaken in Karluway District, Maryland County, have renewed calls on the Government of Liberia to rehabilitate and construct staff quarters for health workers at the Yediaken Health Center, stressing the urgent need to ensure uninterrupted medical services, particularly during nights and weekends.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Ms. Evon T. Williams said the absence of nurses’ quarters continues to undermine effective emergency response, as health workers are often compelled to leave the community after official working hours due to the lack of accommodation. According to her, this situation leaves residents without access to medical care during critical periods.
Ms. Williams noted that the challenge is not unique to Yediaken but affects several communities along the Cavalla River Belt. She explained that on weekends—and in some cases even before weekends—health workers reportedly abandon their duty posts because there are no staff quarters to house them. As a result, residents, particularly pregnant women and critically ill patients, are exposed to serious health risks.
Despite these challenges, Ms. Williams commended the World Bank–supported health project currently underway in Yediaken, describing the construction of a modern health facility as a major boost to healthcare access and service delivery in the area. However, she cautioned that without adequate housing for medical staff, the full benefits of the facility may not be realized.
She further disclosed that there have been instances where patients were physically carried to the health center during emergencies, only to discover that no health worker was available to attend to them. “This situation is both embarrassing and heartbreaking for community members,” she said, adding that health workers sometimes leave even before weekends due to the lack of shelter.
Nevertheless, Ms. Williams described the construction of the new health facility as a “dream come true” for the people of Yediaken. She recalled that in 2006, long before the facility gained formal recognition from the national government, a son of the community based in Monrovia encouraged residents to cut sticks from nearby bushes to construct a makeshift clinic through community initiative.
Ms. Williams made the appeal during an interview on January 7, 2026, in Karluway District. While expressing gratitude to the World Bank and the Government of Liberia for the ongoing project, she urged the Ministry of Health to prioritize the construction of nurses’ quarters at the Yediaken Health Center to ensure the retention of health workers and the provision of continuous medical services.
