Liberia has taken a major stride toward reinforcing its national health security system as the Ministry of Health (MoH), in partnership with the World Bank, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), and other development partners, officially launched a three-day intensive training for journalists on outbreak reporting, public health communication, and risk management.
The high-level training, currently underway in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, is being conducted under the Liberia Health Security Project, a multi-sectoral initiative aimed at strengthening the country's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond rapidly to infectious disease threats with epidemic potential.
More than 40 journalists from across Liberia are participating in the program, representing radio, print, television, and online platforms--demonstrating a deliberate effort by the Ministry to fortify the nation's frontline information network during public health emergencies.
Presenting an overview of the training, Amadu Bah, Deputy Director for Communications and Health Promotion at the Ministry of Health, emphasized that Liberia's ability to contain public health threats depends largely on the accuracy, speed, and credibility of information shared with the public.
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Bah outlined four critical pillars of the Liberia Health Security Project, including strengthening early disease detection systems, improving prevention mechanisms at both community and national levels, enhancing rapid response capacity during outbreaks, and deepening cross-border and regional public health cooperation.
He warned that misinformation and delayed communication have historically weakened Liberia's health responses, especially during national emergencies.
Also speaking during the opening session, Sam H. Tabla, Director of Communications at the Ministry of Agriculture, stressed the importance of deepened cross-sectoral collaboration under the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health systems to combat zoonotic diseases.
Tabla referenced a past caterpillar-linked health incident in Lofa County, during which his ministry relied heavily on the technical expertise of the Ministry of Health and NPHIL to prevent misinformation and public fear. However, he identified weak coordination as the greatest challenge within the One Health framework.
"Unless MoH and NPHIL strengthen coordination, the other sectors will always struggle," Tabla cautioned. "We must continuously learn from each other if Liberia must effectively respond to zoonotic outbreaks."
Speaking on behalf of NPHIL, Joseph Weah, Communications Director and President of the Risk Communications Coordinating Committee (RICC), underscored that accurate health reporting is not optional--it is essential to national survival.
Weah disclosed that the United States Government is preparing a massive US$100 million support package for Liberia's health and environmental sectors, stressing that such investment must be matched with strong and responsible communication systems.
Drawing from his 15 years of experience in journalism, Weah cautioned reporters against referring to diseases such as Lassa fever as "strange illnesses," declaring outbreaks without official confirmation, and publishing unverified health information capable of triggering national panic.
"For a disease to be declared an outbreak, only the Minister of Health has that authority," Weah emphasized. "Health reporting is specialized--journalists must verify with experts before publishing."
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Minister of Health, Augusto S. Walker, Director of Communication and Health Promotion, urged journalists to remain professional and avoid politicizing health matters.
Walker reminded participants that misinformation has repeatedly disrupted Liberia's public health responses over the years.
"Health communication is not like political reporting," Walker warned. "When you spread misinformation, the consequences can be dangerous. Our goal is to ensure journalists have the right tools and knowledge to report accurately."
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He also praised the World Bank and other partners for their sustained support in strengthening Liberia's disease surveillance and communication systems.
Health officials say the training will significantly enhance Liberia's outbreak communication preparedness by improving journalists' ability to interpret medical and surveillance data, accurately report on disease outbreaks, reduce misinformation and public panic, strengthen coordination between the media and health authorities, and enhance national readiness for future epidemics.
Authorities stressed that journalists remain a critical frontline in early disease detection, public education, and real-time information dissemination.
As Liberia continues to confront public health threats such as Lassa fever, cholera, measles, and other emerging diseases, the Ministry of Health believes that investing in media capacity will help build a stronger, faster, and more resilient national health security system.
