The Director-General of Liberia's National Public Health Institute (NPHIL), Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, has warned the government, through the Executive and the legislature, to take national ownership of critical infrastructure, the health sector, biomedical, and public health research.
Speaking recently during the launch of the University of Liberia's PhD program, Dr. Nyan cautioned that the government taking ownership and responsibility for key infrastructure and sectors will help address donor fatigue and exit.
He pointed out that the PhD program at the University of Liberia is both welcoming and overdue, but it must have national ownership.
"We will ask you to do the best you can. In terms of its sustainability, we are doing everything possible from the side of NPHIL to continue engaging the government, particularly the legislature and the Executive, to take ownership of this program. We will not always have it from the donor. There is donor fatigue, and there is donor exit. Now, we have to reprogram and repurpose our finances in this country to address science, health, medicine, biomedical research, public health, and many others," he urged.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Providing a brief overview of NPHIL's research program, he disclosed that they have begun training epidemiologists in top-notch bioresearch, enabling them to develop comprehensive foresight and investigative minds.
He explained that NPHIL now has a few of its employees abroad, who will graduate after several years of study with PhDs and return to contribute to the UL PhD program as well.
"We encourage you to shoot for the galaxy. If there is any force out there that may drop you, you will drop on the side, and you will remain. I like to thank the President of the University of Liberia for the strategy, team work and dream. I know that there are challenges, but we will continue to engage the executive and the legislature for support. We must now take ownership and transform this kind of assistance into practical and tangible results, so that donors can see that their taxpayers' money is doing a lot in our country."
Dr. Nyan stated that NPHIL is well-positioned to participate in the program, serving as a scientific laboratory-based entity.
To that extent, he pointed out that they have come into several agreements with the University of Liberia, while expressing optimism that MoUs reached will materialize.
Encouraging students, he said that they will expect a lot from them, warning that a PhD is not an easy program; therefore, they demand excellence.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
According to him, the University of Liberia Health Science building brings back memories of several years when he spoke as a volunteer visiting professor of medical microbiology.
He indicated that the PhD programs come at the appropriate time, reflecting that a University that was established in 1862, and even beyond, should have had such a program a long time ago. Editing by Jonathan Browne
