MONROVIA – In a significant step toward strengthening Liberia’s public health system, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) officially inducted 15 young Liberians into its ranks as Research, Laboratory, and Diagnostic Scientists on Friday, January 17, 2025.
The ceremony, held at NPHIL’s headquarters in Congo Town, Monrovia, coincided with the Mpox-IMS National Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee meeting Chaired by the NPHIL Director-General, Dr. Dougbeh Christopher Nyan. Addressing the inductees, Dr. Nyan urged them to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and dedication.
“Today, we officially inducted 15 emerging scientists into the National Reference Laboratory (NRL). This achievement represents our ongoing commitment to strengthening Liberia’s public health and its laboratory, research and diagnostic capacities,” Dr. Nyan stated.
“These young scientists, with Bachelor, Master’s, and Doctoral level degrees, will be further trained in specialized scientific disciplines as the NPHIL gears up for vaccines research and development of diagnostic tests for various infectious and non-communicable diseases, and attend to other pressing issues of public health concern and global health security,” Dr. Nyan mentioned.
During the ceremony, the newly appointed young scientists pledged under oath to dedicate their expertise to protecting humanity and advancing the country’s public health initiatives which align with country’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
This oath signifies their commitment to serving Liberia with integrity and professionalism, particularly in combating public health challenges. Dr. Nyan highlighted that these recruits, which include seven females, bring the total number of NRL technical personnel to 20 within just four months of taking over the NPHIL.
“In addition to the Genetic Sequencing Technology acquired during this period, this increase boosts our laboratory and diagnostic capabilities, and enhances our ability to respond swiftly to outbreaks and other public health emergencies. It will also significantly reduce the time needed to deliver testing results,” the NPHIL boss explained.
Dr. Julius Gilayenneh also commended the newly inducted young scientists for their courage in choosing careers dedicated to combating deadly diseases and saving lives. This marks an essential milestone in the NPHIL’s mission of building a robust and resilient public health system for Liberia and improve public health outcomes. The ceremony was attended by the Africa-CDC, US-CDC, NIH-PREVAIL, WHO and others
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