Health &
Nutrition

Overview

Where healthcare is a luxury, we make it a right.

Liberia’s health system continues to face deep structural constraints. With fewer than 51 doctors serving a population of over 5 million people, the ratio of skilled health professionals remains critically low. Maternal mortality is estimated at over 700 deaths per 100,000 live births, while under-five mortality remains high, driven largely by preventable conditions such as malaria, diarrhea, and respiratory infections. Malnutrition is also a persistent challenge, with stunting affecting approximately one in three children under five, undermining long-term cognitive and physical development.
Access to care is further limited by geography and cost. Many rural communities are located several kilometers from the nearest health facility, often requiring long travel times on poor roads. As a result, families delay or forgo treatment, and out-of-pocket health expenditures continue to account for a significant share of total health spending, pushing already vulnerable households deeper into poverty. At the same time, gaps in health literacy, harmful social norms, and weak referral systems contribute to low uptake of essential services, including antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, child immunization, and nutrition services. Menstrual health remains a neglected issue across many communities, where stigma, lack of access to menstrual products, and inadequate sanitation facilities cause girls to miss school and limit women’s participation in daily activities. Similarly, adolescent girls face barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services, increasing risks of early pregnancy and poor health outcomes.
BDI’s Health and Nutrition Program is designed to respond to these interconnected challenges through a practical, community-driven, and systems-focused approach. At the center of the program is a commitment to taking services closer to people. BDI works through community health structures, outreach services, and mobile delivery models to ensure that essential care reaches households that are often excluded from the formal health system.
The program integrates four core pillars. First, BDI supports the expansion of community-based health and nutrition services by strengthening frontline workers, including community health assistants and volunteers, with training, tools, and supervision to deliver basic care, referrals, and follow-up. Second, BDI invests in preventive health by promoting behavior change through culturally appropriate education campaigns, community dialogues, and local media, addressing issues such as hygiene, nutrition, maternal health, and adolescent wellbeing. Third, the program addresses key system bottlenecks by supporting data use, strengthening referral pathways, and improving coordination between communities and health facilities. Fourth, BDI advances evidence-based advocacy to influence policy, resource allocation, and service delivery standards, particularly in areas affecting women and girls.
Across all interventions, BDI prioritizes integration. Health, nutrition, gender, and social protection are addressed together, recognizing that outcomes are shaped by multiple, overlapping factors. The program also emphasizes inclusion, ensuring that women, adolescents, and marginalized groups are not only beneficiaries but active participants in shaping solutions.

Our Three Sub-Programs

Key Objectives