Monrovia — The National Public Health Institute of Liberia or NPHIL in collaboration with the African Center for Disease Control launches event-based surveillance technical guidelines in Monrovia.
NPHIL Director General Dr. Dougbe Chris Nyan, cautions partners to use the guidelines to reduce spread and casualties during an outbreak of epidemic in the country.
According to Dr. Nyan, the guidelines do not only cover diseases such as Ebola and M Pox that are known to be frequent on the African Continent, but those that are common in tropical areas on the continent.
He thanks partners, members of the surveillance technical committee from various ministries, agencies and international partners who worked on the guidelines.
Performing the launch, Liberia's Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Catherine Cooper, on behalf of Health Minister, Dr. Louise Kpoto, notes that the Ministry of Health has seen Liberia moving towards better preparedness in readiness for any outbreak, including incorporating other partners like the One Health Public Platform.
According to her, Liberia is progressing gradually in becoming more responsive by strengthening its data system and building human resource capacities.
"Liberia is on the pathway of becoming the center of excellence because government and partners have invested so much in the surveillance systems," she says; adding: "Our health systems are in readiness in responding to an outbreak and on time."
For his part, the Regional Director for West Africa at the African Center for Disease Control, Dr. Alinon Kokou, appeals to the Health Ministry and NPHIL to work together in combating the outbreak of diseases in the country.
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According to Dr. Kokou, performance in combating outbreak of diseases is the reason the country is set to be chosen as the center of excellence in controlling and combating outbreak in Africa.
The Acting Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Emmanuel Yarkpawolo, pledges his institution's willingness to work with the NPHIL and MOH in combating diseases in the country.
The Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency, Ansu Dorley, assures participants that the disaster agency will endeavor to work in whatever way they want as long as it's in the interest of the Liberians.
The program brought together participants from the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, and the Liberia National Police, among many others. Editing by Jonathan Browne
