The Ministry of Health (MOH), in collaboration with Jhpiego, has opened a two-day validation workshop on the National Gender Barrier Assessment Report to strengthen gender-responsive implementation of Liberia’s National Healthcare Quality Strategy (NHQS) 2024–2028.
The workshop is being held October 15–16, 2026, in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County and seeks to examine gender-related barriers to healthcare access and identify practical measures to ensure that health services respond equitably to the needs of women and men.
Welcoming participants, Dr. Roxanne E. Boker, Director for Healthcare Quality Management Unit called for constructive deliberations throughout the two-day engagement, emphasizing the importance of using evidence from the assessment to inform the implementation of the national healthcare quality strategy.
She said the workshop provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review the assessment findings and identify practical interventions to improve healthcare access, service delivery and the responsiveness of health facilities to gender-related needs.
Dr. Boker emphasized the need for collective engagement in addressing barriers that prevent people from accessing appropriate and quality healthcare services, noting that evidence-based interventions are essential to improving the overall quality of healthcare delivery.
The assessment examines several barriers affecting healthcare access, including distance, financial constraints, time and caregiving responsibilities, and decision-making power within households.
The validation workshop is expected to help stakeholders examine these findings and identify priority areas for strengthening gender-responsive healthcare delivery, particularly in improving access to services and ensuring appropriate support for survivors of gender-based violence.
The engagement forms part of efforts to advance the implementation of the nation’s National Healthcare Quality Strategy 2024–2028 by ensuring that healthcare policies and interventions account for the different challenges women and men face when seeking medical care.
The ultimate objective is to translate the assessment findings into practical measures that promote equitable access to quality healthcare and strengthen the capacity of health facilities to respond effectively to the needs of all people.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Liberia.
