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Monrovia — The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., has declared that Liberia is on the rise, emerging from its painful past and stepping boldly onto the regional and global stage.
“We are rising from the shadows of our painful past. Rising from the margins of global conversations. Rising with clarity, with courage, and with conviction,” Dr. Joekai said during the official launch of the Monrovia Study Center of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the Monrovia City Hall.
Dr. Joekai emphasized that Liberia’s presidency of the WAPCP is evidence of the country’s growing leadership in regional healthcare development. “Tomorrow, we will hold even greater responsibility across Africa and beyond–not because we are perfect, but because we are prepared,” he said. “Under the leadership of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Liberia is being repositioned regionally, continentally, and globally.”
Delivering the keynote address under the theme “Strengthening Healthcare through Specialized Pharmacy Practice: Launching a New Era of Postgraduate Pharmacy in Liberia,” Dr. Joekai described the launch of the Study Center as a milestone and a clear reflection of Liberia’s renewed vision.
“We are no longer waiting for the world to validate us. We are showing the world who we are,” he declared.
Restoring Dignity to the Healthcare Workforce
Reflecting on past challenges, Dr. Joekai noted that for years, pharmacists and other health professionals across Liberia worked tirelessly without compensation or recognition.
“For years, our pharmacists, healthcare volunteers, intern doctors, and rural clinicians labored in silence–no paycheck, no recognition, no system to protect them,” he said. “But no more.”
He stated that in less than two years, the Boakai administration has taken decisive steps to correct these injustices. “We’ve integrated pharmacists, intern doctors, and over 600 healthcare volunteers into the national payroll,” Dr. Joekai revealed. “We’re not just counting numbers–we’re restoring dignity to the healthcare workforce. That’s what justice looks like. That’s what leadership feels like. And that’s what transformation is all about.”
He further highlighted the government’s salary top-up initiative benefiting healthcare workers, teachers, security officers, and agricultural technicians. “We believe those who carry the weight of the nation deserve to live with dignity, work with purpose, and serve with pride.”
Pharmacists: The Unsung Heroes
Dr. Joekai lauded pharmacists as critical yet often underappreciated actors in Liberia’s health system.
“You are not just healthcare providers–you are protectors, researchers, innovators, and healers. Whether in a hospital ward, a rural clinic, a disaster zone, or a university lab–you are there. You are the link between diagnosis and recovery, between policy and practice.”
He described the new Study Center as more than just a learning facility: “It is a launchpad. A sanctuary of knowledge. A crucible of excellence. A fortress of progress.”
CSA and HaPSNA: National and Continental Commitment
Speaking on the CSA’s role, Dr. Joekai pledged the agency’s full support in professionalizing and protecting Liberia’s health workforce.
“We are not observers. We are partners in this transformation,” he said. “The CSA is committed to ensuring that every healthcare professional is protected by law, compensated by right, and elevated by merit.”
He also highlighted Liberia’s leadership in the Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA), where he serves as the inaugural chair.
“As HaPSNA chair, I am humbled to carry Liberia’s flag forward. When we lead with purpose, others follow with hope,” he said, also paying tribute to Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto for her exemplary leadership. “Under her guidance, Liberia’s health system is not just functioning–it is succeeding.”
Liberia on the Global Stage
Dr. Joekai pointed to Liberia’s recent election to the United Nations Security Council as further evidence of the country’s rising global profile.
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“A small nation with a mighty voice, now helping shape decisions on global peace and security,” he said. “At ECOWAS and the African Union, we are no longer a footnote. We are a force.”
He emphasized that Liberia’s presidency of WAPCP and the launch of the Study Center are not isolated events. “These are milestones in a larger story–a story of a nation reclaiming its place and rededicating itself to the common good.”
A Call to Legacy and Responsibility
As he closed, Dr. Joekai called on Liberians–especially young pharmacists–to embrace their role in building a stronger healthcare system and nation.
“Let us celebrate today, but also recommit–to building systems that last beyond personalities, to training professionals who raise the bar, and to ensuring every Liberian has access to safe, quality healthcare,” he urged.
“To every young pharmacist listening–this is your time. You are the next generation of experts, educators, and entrepreneurs. The story doesn’t end with us. It begins with you.”
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