PRESIDENTIAL INITIATIVE DELIVERS MIDWIFERY KITS TO STRENGTHEN MATERNAL AND NEWBORN CARE ACROSS LIBERIA

MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Government of Liberia, through a Special Presidential Project spearheaded by the Office of the President in collaboration with the Ministry of State and the Liberia Board for Nursing and Midwifery (LBNM), has begun the nationwide distribution of essential midwifery kits aimed at improving maternal and newborn healthcare services across the country.

The initiative seeks to strengthen frontline maternal healthcare by providing critical delivery equipment to public health facilities and support packages to Trained Traditional Midwives (TTMs), who continue to play a vital role in serving remote and underserved communities.

The first phase of the project will benefit 133 public clinics across seven counties—Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Sinoe, Bomi, and Margibi. Each health facility will receive a comprehensive set of medical delivery supplies designed to promote safe, hygienic, and high-quality childbirth services.

The clinical kits include scissors for umbilical cord cutting, hemostatic forceps, artery forceps, cord clamps, kidney basins, surgical trays, and examination gloves. These essential tools are expected to improve infection prevention measures and strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers to manage deliveries safely and effectively.

Beyond supporting formal health facilities, the initiative recognizes the critical contribution of Traditional Midwives in extending maternal healthcare services to hard-to-reach communities. As part of the project, 1,000 Trained Traditional Midwives operating within the catchment areas of the targeted clinics will receive specially designed support packages.

Each package contains a durable backpack, a traditional lappa suit, hand sanitizer, a headlamp for nighttime deliveries, and a cash support envelope. The items are intended to improve the mobility, preparedness, and effectiveness of traditional midwives, while enhancing their ability to provide timely assistance and facilitate referrals to health facilities when necessary.

The intervention reflects President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s commitment to reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths and ensuring that women and children have access to quality healthcare services regardless of where they live.

By addressing critical resource gaps and strengthening collaboration between professional healthcare workers and community-based birth attendants, the project aims to create a more responsive and inclusive maternal health system capable of reaching even the most vulnerable populations.

The initiative further highlights the importance of coordinated action among key government institutions, including the Ministry of Health, the Liberia Board for Nursing and Midwifery, and the Ministry of State, all working together to advance national health priorities and improve healthcare outcomes.

As distribution efforts continue across the targeted counties, the government says the project represents another significant step toward building a stronger healthcare system and ensuring safer pregnancies, safer deliveries, and healthier futures for mothers and newborns throughout Liberia.