Liberia Health Infrastructure Standards

Liberia’s civil war between 1989 and 2003 decimated the country’s healthcare infrastructure and service delivery system. Recognizing the importance of rebuilding, the Government of Liberia developed the National Health and Social Welfare Policy and Plan to increase access to basic health services and strengthen the decentralized management of the health system.

MASS’s research team collaborated with the Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to develop National Healthcare Infrastructure Standards and Guidelines for the country, emphasizing investment in decentralized rural care networks paired with the development of specialized referral centers. After a comprehensive assessment of existing facilities and situational analysis, MASS produced architectural and engineering standards and guidelines for all scales of facilities, including clinics, health centers, and hospitals throughout Liberia.

The standards articulate minimum compliances for all existing and new health facilities, including establishment of a transparent Project Delivery Process comprised of pre-construction reviews and approvals, definition of roles and responsibilities of the Infrastructure Unit and stakeholders, and establishment of a process of regular monitoring of all existing facilities for regular maintenance and evaluation.

With an office in Monrovia established to guide infrastructure development in the post-Ebola reconstruction effort, MASS is encouraging use of these guidelines as it spearheads the effort to rebuild key nodes in the referral system, including the Redemption Hospital in Monrovia. The Standards, along with MASS’s other efforts in Liberia, will build the capacity, expertise, and effective policy that will tie better built infrastructure to health outcome objectives.