By Precious D. Freeman
The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), in collaboration with the African Center for Disease Control (Africa CDC), has officially launched its Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) Technical Guideline to strengthen Liberia’s disease surveillance and outbreak preparedness systems.
The launching ceremony, held over the weekend brought together key stakeholders from various government ministries, agencies, and international partners.
Speaking during the ceremony, NPHIL Director General Dougbeh Chris Nyan emphasized the importance of using the guideline to reduce the impact of epidemic outbreaks in the country.
“This technical guideline is a crucial tool that should be embraced by all partners to minimize the spread and casualties during disease outbreaks,” Dr. Nyan stated. “It covers not just frequent diseases like Ebola and M-Pox, but also those commonly found in tropical regions of Africa.”
Dr. Nyan expressed gratitude to the surveillance technical committee and partner institutions who contributed to the development of the guideline, reinforcing that its implementation will significantly improve Liberia’s health security.
Performing the official launch on behalf of Health Minister Louise Kpoto, Deputy Minister and Chief Medical Officer, Catherine Cooper, lauded the progress Liberia has made in its outbreak response capacity.
“Liberia is moving steadily toward better preparedness, and the integration of platforms like One Health demonstrates our commitment to early detection and response,” she said.
“We are building strong data systems and human resource capacity, and with continued investments, Liberia is positioning itself as a center of excellence in disease surveillance.”
Africa CDC’s Regional Director for West Africa, Alinon Kokou, praised Liberia’s performance in managing previous health crises and encouraged continued collaboration between NPHIL and the Ministry of Health.
“Liberia’s leadership in health security is the reason it is being considered as a continental center of excellence in outbreak control,” Dr. Kokou noted.
Additional commitments of support came from other national agencies. Emmanuel Yarkpawolo, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pledged the EPA’s support in combating disease outbreaks alongside health institutions.
Ansu Dorley, Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), also assured participants that his agency is ready to collaborate fully in efforts that benefit the Liberian people.
The well-attended event featured representatives from the Ministry of National Defense, Liberia National Police, and a host of other agencies, underscoring the multisectoral approach Liberia is taking to ensure a coordinated and timely response to health emergencies.
With the launch of the EBS Technical Guideline, Liberia is taking another decisive step in strengthening its national health systems and ensuring readiness in the face of potential epidemics.
Liberia Launches Event-Based Surveillance Guideline On Outbreak Preparedness
