By P. Vangerline Kpotoe
Liberia could lose access to contraceptive supplies funded by the UNFPA Supplies Partnership in 2027 if it fails to sign its Country Compact on time.
The warning was issued on Monday, October 12, 2026 during a technical consultation in Monrovia organized by UNFPA and the Liberian government to finalize the agreement.
UNFPA Deputy Representative Dr. Leonard Kamugisha said Liberia is among countries that have not yet signed the compact, disclosing that a steering committee of donor countries will meet this month to decide whether countries without signed compacts will continue to receive commodities in 2027.
Dr. Kamugisha said the Supplies Partnership Country Compact is different from the Family Planning 2030 Compact, though both support national family planning goals.
He urged the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to treat family planning as an economic investment, adding that every US$1 invested in modern contraceptives saves US$2.48 in public health costs and generates more than US$8.40 in social and economic benefits.
Despite an increase in contraceptive use from 19 percent in 2013 to 24 percent in 2019-2020, significant gaps remain.
According to data presented at the meeting, only 16 percent of adolescent girls use modern contraceptives, unmet need stands at 33 percent nationally and 47 percent among adolescents.
The data illustrates that about 25 percent of health facilities lack seven essential maternal health medicines, while more than 30 percent of maternal deaths occur among adolescent girls and young women.
The proposed compact is expected to help integrate family planning into the national budget, increase domestic funding, prevent stockouts, and include family planning in the essential health package.
Development partner representative Aminata Kamara-Sneh of the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education said challenges such as teenage pregnancy, supply shortages, stigma, and dependence on donor funding persist.
Civil society representative Leo E. Tiah of the Youth Network for Positive Change urged the government to expedite the process to avoid being excluded.
Ministry of Health Acting Director for Family Health Nunta K. Abasion-Nuaho reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to improving reproductive health, while Ministry of Finance representative Wah W. Joe Sr. pledged support for aligning family planning with national development priorities.
The consultation is expected to produce a final draft for endorsement by the Ministers of Finance and Health, before submission to UNFPA headquarters in New York.