Liberia and U.S. Health Partners to launch prostate Cancer Research Program
A new initiative to institutionalize research on prostate cancer in Liberia is expected to kick off here with both Liberian and American institutions.
By Kruah Thompson
Monrovia, Liberia: May 1, 2025 – A group of Liberian and American medical institutions has come together to conduct biomedical research on prostate cancer in Liberia.
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, the Monrovia School of Medicine, and the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine at the University of Liberia, are working in partnership with the Morehouse School of Medicine and the Heart Foundation, to launch a new biomedical research initiative aimed at advancing prostate cancer research in Liberia and across West Africa.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, when Mr. Matthew Woloka Jr., a leader from the Heart Foundation and one of the head of the initiative, said the program will also train young doctors and medical students, help improve surgeries, and encourage Liberians living abroad to come back and support local hospitals in providing hands-on training and mentorship in advance biomedical research to help build a stronger healthcare system in Liberia.
“In addition to this research component,” he said, “this initiative aims to enhance surgical and clinical care in several ways, such as expanding neurological surgical services, providing mentorship and specialized training, and launching a service learning program that will provide earning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff in the diaspora to come back and engage with Liberia firsthand, to gain cultural and hands-on sanitary experience, and also deliver in country training to empower Liberia’s future through medical professionals, giving them the tools needed to provide high quality education and central care across the country.”
Accordingly, He says this initiative is more than just healthcare, because it’s focus on healthcare, tourism, culture, and education, bringing people together to build a better future for Liberia.
“This initiative is more than just healthcare, but rather it is about building a more sustainable partnership between Liberian and American institutions in collaboration with research and service in health, academic development, and laying a foundation for the future. Together, we can build a healthcare system that is innovative, inclusive, and globally respected,” he emphasized.
The initiative is led by Dr. James Adama Sirleaf and Mr. Matthew Woloka Jr. Other team members include Dr. Edward Lee, a scientist; Mr. R.A. Stanley, a biospecialist; and Dr. John McGill, a top urologist from the U.S.
Dr. Lean Brunner from New Jersey also joined the team. She said plastic cancer affects Black men more often and at younger ages, and she is committed to helping change that.
According to her, they will be working to unlock the causes of why the disease only affect the black and to create treatments to save.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and other partners have promised to support the program and help make it successful. Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
