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By Kruah Athompaon
Monrovia, May 29, 2026: The Liberia Nurses Association has publicly challenged the government’s handling of the recent suspension and arrest of Nurse Paola N. Bedell, insisting that the matter was not subjected to the required professional disciplinary process before action was taken.
According to the association, government authorities bypassed established procedures of the Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery, and it is calling for the immediate application of due process in resolving the case involving nurses linked to the recent controversy at John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK).
JFK suspended Nurse Paola N. Bedell after she raised concerns in a circulating WhatsApp audio message, alleging that the medical center was secretly treating Ebola patients who had just entered the country.
The association argues that the government does not have the legal authority to discipline health professionals. Instead, this responsibility lies with the Professional and Ethics Committee of the Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery, which has the established regulatory framework required to review any alleged professional or ethical misconduct through formal nursing ethics procedures.
In a press release, the association’s leadership stated that Nurse Bedell, like any healthcare worker, deserves a fair hearing, professional representation, and due process under the frameworks governing the profession.
Despite their position, the association noted that they have engaged the Ministry of Health, the Liberia National Police, the administration of JFK, and other relevant authorities—including the Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery—to ensure that the matter involving “Nurse Paola Bedell, Mrs. Joana Jokai, and Sister Lulu (nurse, supervisor, and Nursing Services Director respectively) is handled appropriately and professionally, free from political manipulation, public distraction, and prejudice.”
