Liberia Moves to Establish First University Degree Program in Physiotherapy

 Liberia has begun developing its first Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree program in Physiotherapy, a move expected to strengthen the country’s rehabilitation workforce and expand access to specialized healthcare services.

The Ministry of Health, through its Non-communicable Diseases and Injuries (NCDI) Unit, opened a three-day curriculum development workshop on Wednesday, November 11, bringing together local and international health professionals to design the academic program.

The initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with World Physiotherapy, World Hope International and the University of Liberia’s College of Health Sciences.

The proposed degree is intended to create a local pathway for training professional physiotherapists, particularly as Liberia continues to face rehabilitation needs linked to injuries, disabilities, non-communicable diseases and other medical conditions.

Speaking at the opening session, NCDI Unit Director Jamesetta G. Smith emphasized the importance of developing a curriculum that meets international standards while addressing Liberia’s healthcare realities.

She thanked the collaborating institutions for supporting the initiative and urged participants to carefully consider how the proposed program could shape the next generation of physiotherapists in the country.

Discussions during the workshop are focusing on developing the program’s mission and vision, graduate profile, competency framework and learning outcomes.

Participants are also examining the country’s rehabilitation priorities, including shortages of trained personnel, limited services in rural communities and the responsibilities physiotherapists should undertake across different healthcare settings.

Nancy M. Kanneh Saydee, Rehabilitation, Injuries and Assistive Technology Coordinator at the NCDI Unit, is facilitating discussions on national rehabilitation needs, workforce priorities and the professional responsibilities of physiotherapists.

Dr. Wahdae-mai Harmon-Gray, Director of the University of Liberia’s School of Public Health, said the exercise is expected to produce a curriculum framework that will prepare qualified professionals to provide rehabilitation services in hospitals, community health facilities and other healthcare institutions.

The workshop is also drawing on regional experiences, with physiotherapists from Sierra Leone sharing lessons from the development of their country’s physiotherapy training program, including challenges that Liberia could consider in establishing its own.

An international consultant physiotherapist and professor from Rwanda is leading the curriculum development exercise, with technical contributions from the University of Liberia’s College of Health Sciences, the Monrovia Rehabilitation Center, physiotherapists from Ghana and Sierra Leone, and representatives of World Physiotherapy.

The exercise builds on four previous stakeholder consultations organized by the NCDI Unit and its partners. Those consultations brought together representatives from teaching hospitals, the World Health Organization, the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, the Liberia Nursing and Midwifery Board, the National Commission on Disabilities and other relevant institutions.

The workshop is scheduled to conclude on Friday, November 13, at D’Calabash in Monrovia.

Once established, the proposed BSc program is expected to provide a formal route for training physiotherapists locally, reducing reliance on externally trained professionals while strengthening the country’s capacity to deliver rehabilitation services.

For people recovering from injuries, living with disabilities or managing conditions that affect their movement and physical functioning, the development could eventually mean greater access to specialized care within Liberia.