On March 4, 2025, the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) held a formal ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a mental health center in the 14 Military Hospital’s compound.
At the program, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia, was ably represented by Major General Daniel D. Ziankahn, Jr. (rtd), Military Advisor to the President of the Republic of Liberia, former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia and former Minister of National Defense.
Also present at the program were the Minister of National Defense, Brigadier General Geraldine George (rtd), the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Brigadier General Theophilous Anto Dana, along with some senior officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia, officers from the Office of Security Corporation, US Embassy accredited near Monrovia, the Dean and Members of the Diplomatic Corps, the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Liberia, Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, and representatives from the Ministry of Health, J. F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital and Carter Center, among others.
At the program, the overview of mental health initiative in the AFL was given by Major (Dr) Zoe Parwon, Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Health Services, while special remarks were made by Major General Daniel D. Ziankahn, Jr. (rtd), the Minister of National Defense, the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Liberia, Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and representatives from Carter Center and Ministry of Health.
According to the AFL, the absence of a dedicated wellness center hinders the effective provision of care for military personnel facing mental health challenges. Furthermore, the stigma surrounding mental health in the military creates barriers to seeking help and receiving timely support.
The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has undergone a significant transformation from a post-conflict environment to a peacebuilding and developmental phase. However, military personnel continue to face psychological challenges due to their exposure to trauma, stress, and long separation from families, often resulting in conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
In spite of all these, mental health services within the AFL remain limited and fragmented, with stigmatization of mental health issues exacerbating the problem.