Liberia Medical, Dental Council Shuts Down Golden Veroleum Clinics Over Severe Health Violations

Maryland County: The Liberia Medical and Dental Council has ordered the immediate closure of three healthcare facilities operated by Golden Veroleum Liberia in the Southeastern Districts of Butaw, Tarjouwon, and Kpanyan.

LMDC’s action stemmed from persistent and widespread violations of national healthcare regulations, including understaffing, unsanitary conditions, and systemic noncompliance with basic medical standards.

By: Abraham Sylvester Panto

The decision, which follows a formal inspection by LMDC health officials, marks a significant regulatory action against GVL, a concession company that has operated in Liberia since 2010 under a long-term agreement extending through 2075.

Joseph Colmah, the clinical and research director at LMDC, confirmed that the agency’s inspection uncovered an alarming lack of qualified medical personnel at all three GVL-operated clinics, a condition that he described as fundamentally dangerous to public health.

The LMDC team also observed uncontained medical waste, visibly unsanitary environments, and the absence of even the most basic sanitation measures, exposing patients and staff to elevated health risks and contravening the national Public Health Law.

Beyond staffing and sanitation failures, LMDC’s findings further indicated poor pharmaceutical practices within the facilities, including expired medications left in circulation, mismanagement of drug inventories, and the lack of a functional system for tracking prescriptions and treatments.

According to Colmah, these deficiencies compromise clinical effectiveness and increase the likelihood of medication errors and patient harm.

The council’s inspection report additionally flagged the complete absence of medical waste incinerators at the sites, a violation considered critical given the infectious risks posed by improperly discarded biological materials.

The clinics were reportedly disposing of medical waste through uncontrolled means, with some waste found in open areas accessible to community members and livestock, raising broader environmental and community health concerns.

LMDC emphasized that the shutdown order follows repeated attempts to engage GVL through written advisories and formal warnings, all of which were ignored by the company, demonstrating what the council described as “a sustained pattern of disregard for health governance.” Colmah stated.

GVL’s concession agreement, which provides it with significant operational autonomy across multiple counties in southeastern Liberia, does not exempt it from meeting national health standards, and the LMDC has reaffirmed its legal authority to enforce compliance through facility closures when necessary.

The council’s move is intended to send a clear signal to all concessionaires and private health providers that public health standards are non-negotiable, regardless of the scope or duration of their corporate presence.

The LMDC further disclosed that the closures form part of a broader national healthcare compliance audit currently underway, with inspections targeting both private and public facilities across Liberia.

The assessment, spearheaded by the Council, is focused on rooting out substandard care, enforcing medical ethics, and reestablishing regulatory credibility across a sector that has long struggled with fragmentation and under-enforcement.