By B. Linus Flomo
A significant collaboration between the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and the Africa Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Africa CDC) commenced this week with the aim of establishing a Center of Excellence at NPHIL.
The three-day planning meeting, held in Monrovia marked a major step towards enhancing public health capacities in Liberia.
The Acting Director-General of NPHIL, Amos Gborie, expressed gratitude to the Africa CDC for selecting Liberia as the site for this crucial initiative and highlighted NPHIL’s proven ability to manage disease outbreaks effectively since its inception.
NPHIL’s Deputy Director General further assured that the forthcoming Center of Excellence will meet its strategic goals, thereby significantly improving public health outcomes in the region.
The planning session will delve into key areas including data management and health information systems, surveillance and early warning systems, public health research, corporate governance, and workforce development.
This initiative follows an extensive assessment by the Africa CDC of fully established National Public Health Institutes across Africa, identifying those capable of becoming Centers of Excellence.
These Centers of Excellence are expected to support member states that are developing or interested in establishing National Public Health Institutes and Liberia was chosen as one of the nine potential regional Centers of Excellence.
Each Center of Excellence will provide vital support in organizational change management, standardized processes, and methodologies.
They will offer training and capacity-building programs, including e-learning curriculum and certification courses and they will enhance data management systems, emergency preparedness, and research capabilities across the region.
This collaborative effort underscores a significant milestone in advancing public health infrastructure in Africa, with Liberia playing a pivotal role in this transformative journey.
