Jamesetta Kugmeh, the 28-year-old Liberian mother whose traumatic medical ordeal sparked nationwide outrage and protests, has reportedly died at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia, where she was receiving care following what her family described as a botched delivery and gross medical negligence at ELWA Hospital.
Her death, though yet to be officially confirmed by Ghanaian or Liberian health authorities, comes less than 24 hours after grieving relatives and concerned citizens staged a protest outside the Ministry of Health, demanding justice for what they believe was an avoidable tragedy that exposed glaring failures in Liberia’s maternal healthcare system.
“We want answers,” mourners chanted during Monday’s protest in Congo Town, waving placards that read “Justice for Jamesetta” and “Our Health System is Bleeding.” The protest drew dozens of supporters who argue that Kugmeh’s case is only the latest in a long list of medical mishaps disproportionately affecting women in Liberia, especially during childbirth.
Kugmeh’s ordeal began in February during a routine antenatal visit to ELWA Hospital. Family sources say doctors declared her pregnancy post-term and recommended labor induction. Complications soon led to an emergency cesarean section. But what followed was nothing short of horrific: kidney failure, liver damage, third-degree burns, a collapsed urethra, and ultimately the surgical removal of her womb.
“I walked into ELWA healthy and hopeful, but I am now fighting for my life,” Kugmeh wrote in a viral Facebook post in March, shared thousands of times. “I need answers from ELWA. I want to die knowing why you killed me.”
Despite her declining condition, Kugmeh continued to speak out from her hospital bed, exposing alleged lapses in post-operative care and pleading for accountability. In April, she was flown to Ghana for advanced treatment. Conflicting reports had suggested she passed away there earlier, but family members confirmed Tuesday that she died at JFK Medical Center upon return to Liberia.
As news of her reported death spread on Tuesday morning, tributes and fury flooded Liberian social media platforms.
“Liberia, you failed her,” one user wrote. “She cried for help and no one listened. She died asking why.”
Neither ELWA Hospital nor the Ministry of Health has issued a formal statement regarding Kugmeh’s reported death or the mounting allegations of negligence. Attempts by The Liberian Investigator to reach hospital officials for comment went unanswered. A Health Ministry official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged public concern but said the ministry would not discuss the specifics of Kugmeh’s case, citing patient confidentiality.
“We are saddened by the public reports and urge calm while we gather the facts,” the official said.
Meanwhile, Kugmeh’s family insists they will not rest until someone is held responsible.
“She went to bring life into this world and lost hers instead,” a tearful relative told journalists during Monday’s protest. “We will not stop until someone takes responsibility.”
The Liberian Medical and Dental Council is under increasing pressure to launch an independent inquiry. Civil society advocates and women’s rights groups are calling for the immediate suspension of any healthcare personnel involved in Kugmeh’s care, pending a transparent investigation.
Kugmeh’s story resonated with Liberians across the country not only because of the horror she endured, but because of the courage with which she confronted a broken system. Her digital diary of pain, rage, and hope gave a human face to the statistics on maternal mortality, and reminded a nation of the deadly consequences of silence.
Her final post, now pinned atop her Facebook page, reads simply: “I just want to survive long enough to be heard.”
Today, she has been heard. Now, Liberia watches to see if anyone will finally listen.
Source: Liberian Investigator
