World Bank Builds Clinic, But Housing Gap Threatens Healthcare In Yediaken

By: Emmanuel Tobotinho Quiah

‎ Yediaken Town–Residents of Yediaken Town in Karluway District have renewed urgent calls on the Government of Liberia, particularly the Ministry of Health, to rehabilitate and construct staff quarters for health workers at the Yediaken Health Center, warning that the absence of accommodation is crippling effective healthcare delivery in the community.

‎‎Speaking on behalf of residents, community spokesperson Ms. Evon T. Williams said the lack of nurses’ quarters has made it nearly impossible for health workers to provide round-the-clock medical services, especially during nights and weekends when emergencies are most critical.

‎‎According to Ms. Williams, health personnel assigned to the facility are often forced to leave the community after working hours because there is no place for them to stay. As a result, emergency cases, particularly involving pregnant women, children, and critically ill patients are left unattended.

‎‎“The absence of staff quarters continues to undermine emergency response in Yediaken,” Ms. Williams lamented. “There are times when people are rushed or even physically carried to the health center, only to find that no health worker is available.”

‎‎She described the situation as both “embarrassing and heartbreaking,” noting that some health workers reportedly leave the community even before weekends due to the lack of shelter.

‎‎Ms. Williams further disclosed that Yediaken’s situation reflects a broader challenge facing several communities along the Cavalla River Belt, where health workers are said to abandon duty posts on weekends because there are no quarters to house them.

‎This, she warned, exposes residents to severe health risks and preventable deaths.

‎‎Despite the 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.

‎‎She, however, cautioned that without staff housing, the full benefits of the new facility may not be realized.

‎“The building alone is not enough,” she stressed. “If there are no quarters for nurses and other health workers, the facility will remain underutilized, and our people will continue to suffer.”

‎‎Reflecting on the community’s long struggle for healthcare services, Ms. Williams recalled that as far back as 2006, residents encouraged by a son of the soil based in Monrovia cut sticks from nearby bushes to construct a makeshift clinic through community initiative.

‎‎That structure served as the community’s only health post for years before gaining recognition from the national government.

‎‎She described the ongoing construction of the modern health center as a “dream come true” for Yediaken, expressing gratitude to both the World Bank and the Government of Liberia for their intervention.

‎‎However, she used the opportunity to strongly appeal to the Ministry of Health to prioritize the construction of nurses’ quarters at the Yediaken Health Center to ensure that qualified health workers can remain in the community and provide continuous medical care.

‎‎Ms. Williams made the appeal during an interview with team of reporters on January 7, 2026, emphasizing that addressing staff accommodation is critical to saving lives and improving healthcare outcomes in Yediaken and neighboring communities.

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.