Dr. Chris Hena, a Liberian born medical missionary, spent decades implementing successful community based healthcare programs in Russia, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. After the KGB’s influence diminished, Dr. Chris became the first United Methodist missionary to serve in Russia in over seventy years. Dr. Chris now is working to reform the Liberian healthcare system through an initiative called “Healthy Women, Healthy Liberia.” She holds a medical degree from Kuban Medical College in Krasnodar, Russia and a Masters in Public Health from Emory University. She moved to Liberia to lead this effort.
Dr. Chris developed the framework for the Liberian health education initiative while still living and working in Kazakhstan over a ten year period. The program is being implemented by organizing communities to identify and implement preventative care programs unique to each community, with specific focus on improving maternal and infant healthcare, improving the nutritional status of women and children, restoring and maintaining community water and sanitation, and reducing the incidence of non-communicable diseases.
