When 37-year-old Joseph Jah, a gasoline vendor from Montserrado County, first felt a sharp pain in his waist, he dismissed it as fatigue from long days at work. But what began as a mild discomfort soon became unbearable.
“I first started feeling pain in my waist; it was getting too much, so I went to the nearby clinic for check-ups,” Joseph recalled, his voice soft but steady.
At the clinic, he was treated for what was believed to be a chronic cold and sent home with pain medication. For weeks, he returned whenever the pain resurfaced. Each time, the medicine gave temporary relief, but his condition only worsened. As his health declined, so did his small roadside business, the family’s sole source of income.
Concerned, Joseph’s elder brother insisted on further testing. An X-ray was done, revealing nothing more than a “cold.” He was given another round of medications, but his condition deteriorated. Then came another blow: the sudden death of their father in River Gee County.
Despite his frailty, Joseph traveled home for the funeral. There, his health took a critical turn. He collapsed and was rushed to a nearby health center, unable to walk and struggling to breathe. Word soon reached his brother about the advanced care available at the Partners In Health (PIH) Liberia–supported James Jenkins Dossen (JJD) Memorial Hospital in Harper, Maryland County.
In June 2025, Joseph was transported there. A decision that eventually saved his life. After a series of tests, doctors confirmed he had extra-pulmonary drug-sensitive tuberculosis (EPTB), a severe form of TB that affects organs outside the lungs. “When they told me the real cause of my sickness, I felt relieved,” Joseph said. “At least I knew what was wrong and that it could be treated.”
Over the next three weeks, Joseph began to recover. He was surprised to learn that his treatment, including hospital stay, medication, and even hot daily meals, was completely free.
“I was thinking about how I would pay for everything,” he said with a smile. “But PIH took care of everything.”
For Partners In Health Liberia, this is the essence of their mission: ensuring that no one is denied care because of poverty. “When a patient is ill and lacks access to treatment,” said a PIH staff member, “we do whatever it takes, just as we would for our own family.”
In August 2025, Joseph Jah was reintegrated into the community after receiving treatment for Extra Pulmonary Drug-Sensitive (DS) tuberculosis (TB). He was diagnosed on June 26, 2025, at the James Jenkins Dossen (JJD) Memorial Hospital in Harper City, Maryland County. During his reintegration process, he was accompanied by staff from the JJD’s MDR-TB ward and community health workers. The team was led by Caroline A. Doe, a community health nurse with the Maryland County Health Team, along with Naewah T. Berrian, the supervisor of the MDR-TB ward, and other team members. Photo by Ansumana O. Sesay.
By August 2025, Joseph was strong enough to walk again. He was discharged and moved with his fiancée to the Lake Shepherd community in Harper, where he continues his treatment through PIH’s social support program. The program provides monthly food packages, including rice, beans, and vegetable oil, along with transportation assistance and other essentials to help patients recover with dignity.
Reflecting on his journey, Joseph said, “I feel so happy that I can walk and do things for myself again.” His recovery is also a testament to Liberia’s growing capacity to fight TB. With PIH’s support, the J.J. Dossen Hospital now houses Liberia’s first decentralized tuberculosis wards, expanding access to care in the country’s rural southeast.
Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. Liberia is among the 30 most affected countries, with an estimated 308 cases per 100,000 people. In 2023, Liberia recorded 7,447 TB cases, with 10% co-infected with HIV. Encouragingly, 90% of those individuals began antiretroviral treatment, and 81% of those with multidrug-resistant TB received care.
Yet stigma continues to hinder early testing and treatment. Many still see TB as a curse or an incurable disease, forcing patients into silence. Joseph hopes his story changes that.
“I want people to know TB can be cured,” he said. “You just have to seek help early and take your medicine.”
As Joseph and his fiancée walked home with hospital staff and community health workers, their faces lit with quiet gratitude, they embodied the message that healing is possible when compassion meets commitment.
Tuberculosis is curable, but silence kills. Let’s break the stigma, support early testing, and ensure that every Liberian has access to the care they deserve. Together, we can turn more stories of struggle into stories of strength.
