Monrovia – The Health and Public Service Network of Africa (HaPSNA) has officially been established in Liberia, marking a significant milestone in regional efforts to strengthen governance and workforce development across the continent.
By Edwin G. Genoway Jr.
The HaPSNA network, formalized through the Monrovia Declaration, was created by six African countries, including Liberia.
The initiative aims to address the challenges facing Africa’s public service and health systems, focusing on improving governance and developing stronger, more resilient health workforces.
The announcement came at the conclusion of the week-long Regional Public Service Leadership Conference on Human Health Workforce Development held in Monrovia, Liberia.
Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., Director-General of the Liberian Civil Service Agency (CSA), was elected as the inaugural Chairperson of HaPSNA. Dr. Joekai expressed his excitement about the initiative, emphasizing its potential to drive sustainable growth and innovation in Africa’s public service and health sectors.
The HaPSNA framework, signed on March 4, 2025, is built around six strategic goals aimed at enhancing leadership, promoting professional development, providing training, and fostering collaboration among African nations.
The initiative focuses on improving health and public sector efficiency, workforce governance, and developing sustainable financing models to address systemic challenges facing these sectors.
The establishment of HaPSNA comes as a response to the continent’s need for improved governance and better healthcare systems. The network aims to improve the management and delivery of public services by building stronger institutions, enhancing leadership capacity, and fostering regional collaboration.
The framework also emphasizes the use of digital tools and e-governance to improve decision-making and service delivery across Africa.
During the closing ceremony of the conference, key speakers, including Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, and ECOWAS Representative to Liberia, Her Excellency Josephine Nkrumah, expressed strong support for the HaPSNA framework.
The Minister of Health, representing President Joseph N. Boakai, highlighted the significance of the initiative, stating, “This is a monumental step towards improving Africa’s health and public service sectors, and Liberia is proud to lead this historic collaboration.”
The Monrovia Declaration, signed by representatives from Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, outlines a commitment to addressing critical issues such as shortages of skilled professionals, inadequate training, and inefficient management in the African health workforce.
By focusing on workforce development and governance reform, HaPSNA aims to create meaningful change and improve the lives of African citizens.
Dr. Joekai, as the first Chairperson of HaPSNA, stressed the importance of collaboration across the continent to create a unified, resilient, and sustainable workforce in both the public service and health sectors.
He stated, “Our collective goal is to build strong governance structures and empower our institutions to address the challenges facing Africa’s health and public service sectors.”
