Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator (HSSA) – Liberia (JFKMC)

Timeline: Mars 2020 – Juin 2024 | Status: Completed

Liberia

Project Overview

National referral hospitals play a critical role in the performance of health systems. They serve as centres for specialised care, workforce development, clinical leadership, and health system innovation. In Liberia, the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC) occupies a central position within the country's healthcare system, providing advanced care and serving as a key national institution.

Through the Health Systems Strengthening Accelerator (HSSA), the Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) worked with USAID, Results for Development (R4D), and Liberian stakeholders between 2020 and 2024 to support efforts aimed at strengthening institutional performance at JFKMC.

The project focused on reinforcing the systems, processes, and leadership structures that enable healthcare institutions to function effectively. By supporting institutional strengthening and organisational development, the initiative sought to improve the hospital's ability to deliver high-quality services, respond to evolving healthcare needs, and contribute to broader health system goals in Liberia.

Large tertiary healthcare institutions often face complex operational and management challenges. As demand for services grows, hospitals must balance clinical excellence with effective governance, workforce management, financial sustainability, and operational efficiency.

For national referral institutions such as JFKMC, strengthening organisational capacity is essential not only for improving patient care but also for supporting wider health system performance. Sustainable improvements require strong leadership, effective management systems, and institutional structures capable of adapting to changing healthcare needs.

HSDF contributed technical expertise to strengthen institutional systems and support organisational development at JFKMC. The project focused on:

Supporting institutional and organisational strengthening efforts.
Enhancing leadership and management capacity.
Strengthening governance and accountability systems.
Promoting performance improvement and operational effectiveness.
Supporting sustainable approaches to organisational development.
Facilitating learning and collaboration with health system stakeholders.

The work emphasised local ownership and capacity building, ensuring that improvements could be sustained and embedded within existing institutional structures.

The HSSA–JFKMC project supported efforts to reinforce the foundations of one of Liberia’s most important healthcare institutions. By focusing on institutional capacity, leadership, and organisational performance, the initiative contributed to creating stronger systems capable of supporting quality healthcare delivery and long-term health sector development.

The project also reflected the growing importance of institutional strengthening as a pathway to improving health outcomes, demonstrating how investments in leadership, governance, and organisational effectiveness can create lasting benefits across the health system.