First Lady Boakai flanked
By Stephanie M. Duncan
Monrovia-First Lady of Liberia, Madam Kartumu Yarta Boakai, has called for increased investment in maternal and newborn healthcare, emphasizing that no woman should lose her life while giving birth.
She said improving maternal health requires a functional healthcare system equipped with trained professionals, essential medicines, modern medical equipment, clean water, safe delivery spaces, and effective referral services.
Madam Boakai made the statement Tuesday, November 3, 2026, during the official opening and handover of the renovated Careysburg Health Center in Montserrado County.
Speaking in her capacity as Liberia’s Maternal Health Champion, the First Lady described the renovation as a significant step toward ensuring safer childbirth and improving healthcare delivery for women and newborns.
She stressed that maternal survival should not depend on luck but on a prepared and responsive healthcare system capable of addressing complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
“No woman should lose her life while giving life. But if we truly believe those words, then we must build systems worthy of them,” she stated.
According to her, maternal healthcare begins long before delivery and requires deliberate investment, adequate preparation, and a national commitment to placing women and children at the center of development.
The First Lady expressed Liberia’s appreciation to the Government of Japan for its support in upgrading and equipping the health facility and to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for its continued partnership in advancing maternal and newborn healthcare.
She noted that the investment extends beyond the physical renovation of the facility, describing it as an intervention that could help save mothers, protect newborns, and preserve families.
Madam Boakai also commended the Ministry of Health, healthcare professionals, technicians, local authorities, and other partners whose contributions made the renovation possible.
Addressing healthcare workers expected to serve at the facility, she urged them to combine their professional skills with compassion, dignity, and respect in treating patients.
She emphasized that modern equipment and improved infrastructure alone would not guarantee quality healthcare without dedicated personnel who understand the importance of treating every mother with care and dignity.
The First Lady also encouraged women in Careysburg and surrounding communities to seek antenatal services early and utilize the facility for safe deliveries rather than waiting until medical complications become emergencies.
She called on men to take an active role in supporting maternal healthcare, noting that pregnancy and childbirth should not be treated as the sole responsibility of women.
“Maternal health is not a women’s burden alone,” she emphasized, urging husbands, fathers, and other family members to support pregnant women in accessing timely medical attention.
However, Madam Boakai cautioned that the renovation and handover of the facility should not mark the end of efforts to improve healthcare delivery.
She called for sustained attention to the maintenance of the facility, regular supplies of essential medicines, adequate staffing, and accountability to ensure that the health center remains operational and responsive to community needs.
According to her, the success of the renovated facility should not be measured by its physical appearance but by the number of maternal and newborn lives it helps save.
She said the facility represents an important step toward making safe motherhood a right rather than a privilege, while reaffirming the importance of protecting women’s lives and ensuring healthier beginnings for children across Liberia.
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