By Kruah Thompson
The Government of Liberia has denied rumors circulating on social media that fees for life-saving surgeries and other essential services at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK) have been increased.
According to Deputy Minister of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Information, Daniel Sandor, the information being spread is false and misleading. He clarified that the government, through the JFK administration, has not issued any approved memo to increase fees for essential medical services at the national referral hospital.
“The document being circulated is a draft proposal under review and has not been approved by the hospital administration or its board,” Minister Sandor explained. “Unfortunately, individuals with ill intent seeking to damage the hospital’s reputation chose to leak this internal document.”
Providing context, Sandor noted that over the past 18 months, JFK has experienced unprecedented improvements in service delivery, including upgraded laboratory facilities, enhanced infrastructure, and improved healthcare services.
He believes misinformation gained traction on social media because people tend to focus on negative narratives, especially concerning the cost and accessibility of healthcare.
“This trending news does not reflect the reality,” he said. “Contrary to the false memo being circulated, JFK has made significant strides in improving healthcare delivery.”
He emphasized that the JFK administration has no intention of increasing the cost of essential services at this time.
