Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, has announced a major increase in government spending on health, revealing that the sector’s allocation has climbed to US$110 million in the 2026 national budget, a 21 percent increase aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and expanding access nationwide.
Speaking at the Regional Launch of the World Bank Group Health, Nutrition, and Population Strategy in Accra, Ghana, under the theme, “Fit to Prosper,” Minister Ngafuan said the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is deliberately prioritizing health financing as part of its broader human capital development agenda.
According to him, Liberia’s health budget has shown steady growth, rising from US$80.3 million in 2024 to US$91.3 million in 2025, before reaching the current US$110 million allocation for FY2026, signaling what he described as a strong policy commitment to expanding fiscal space for the sector.
Ngafuan made the disclosure during a high-level ministerial panel on “Fixing Finance,” where discussions centered on improving both the efficiency and scale of public spending to ensure sustainable development outcomes.
He further highlighted significant improvements in budget execution, noting that health sector disbursement rates increased from 70 percent in 2023 to 88 percent in 2024, and surged to 97.7 percent in 2025, reflecting stronger public financial management and improved coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health.
The Finance Minister said targeted expenditure reviews and a strategic “deep dive” engagement with the Ministry of Health helped identify spending bottlenecks and resulted in an implementation compact designed to accelerate fund utilization and improve service delivery.
Ngafuan also stressed that stronger healthcare outcomes depend not only on direct health financing but also on investments in roads, sanitation, and electricity, describing them as essential pillars of an effective health system.
He pointed to the Jackson F. Doe Memorial Regional Referral Hospital in Tappita as a practical example where improved road connectivity has boosted patient access, increased hospital traffic, and enhanced operational efficiency.
The World Bank’s “Fit to Prosper” strategy seeks to strengthen health systems across Western and Central Africa by addressing service delivery gaps, improving resilience, and expanding equitable access to healthcare, while drawing lessons from COVID-19 and previous financing interventions.
The Accra summit brought together finance ministers, health ministers, development partners, and policy leaders to discuss domestic resource mobilization and innovative financing strategies to accelerate universal health coverage across the region. Minister Ngafuan attended the event alongside Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Louise M. Kpoto.
