LMHRA Rolls Out Sweeping Reforms to Combat Counterfeit Medicines in Liberia
By: Feeme M. Wantee
Monrovia, July 9, 2026 : The Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) has announced a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at strengthening medicine regulation and eliminating the growing threat of counterfeit and substandard medicines across the country.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information press briefing, LMHRA Managing Director Dr. L. Luke Bawo said Liberia has made significant progress in rebuilding its health sector over the past decade following the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks. He cited improvements in health infrastructure, medical equipment, disease surveillance, laboratory services, and the training of healthcare workers.
Despite these gains, Dr. Bawo said ensuring the quality and safety of medicines remains one of the country’s greatest public health challenges.
“The weakest link determines the strength of the entire chain,” he said, noting that weak medicine quality assurance continues to undermine Liberia’s healthcare system.
According to Dr. Bawo, the country’s current testing system relies mainly on visual and physical inspections, making it difficult to detect counterfeit and substandard medicines before they reach consumers.
He disclosed that LMHRA recently confiscated counterfeit and substandard medicines valued at approximately L$400,000 in Bong County, describing the seizure as evidence of the scale of the problem.
Dr. Bawo warned that poor-quality medicines contribute to treatment failures and the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, while also eroding public confidence in the country’s healthcare system.
The LMHRA boss also raised concerns about the large number of pharmaceutical importers operating in Liberia. He revealed that the country has 118 licensed pharmaceutical importers serving a population of about 5.5 million, a figure he said exceeds that of neighboring countries with much larger populations.
To address these challenges, LMHRA has launched a five-year strategic plan aligned with the Government of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID). The strategy seeks to strengthen the national regulatory system, institutionalize quality management, digitalize regulatory services, expand stakeholder partnerships, build a skilled workforce, and improve infrastructure.
A major target of the plan is to ensure that 95 percent of medicines and health products circulating in Liberia are tested for quality by 2030.
Dr. Bawo also announced that Liberia’s first comprehensive health products testing laboratory is expected to be commissioned by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai within the next three to four months. The facility will be capable of testing conventional medicines, herbal products, cosmetics, and dietary supplements.
As part of the modernization drive, LMHRA plans to fully digitalize its operations, allowing businesses to apply for registrations, permits, and product testing online.
The Authority will also expand post-market surveillance to all 15 counties and introduce a nationwide electronic Track-and-Trace System that will enable consumers and regulators to verify medicines by scanning QR codes for product information, including manufacturer, importer, production date, and expiration date.
In addition, LMHRA is preparing to inaugurate Liberia’s first modern pharmaceutical waste disposal facility in Lower Margibi County to safely destroy expired and counterfeit medicines while exploring environmentally friendly recycling solutions.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bawo said the reforms are intended to strengthen public confidence in Liberia’s healthcare system by ensuring that medicines and health products available on the market meet internationally accepted quality and safety standards.
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