ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), is leading a Liberian delegation at a high-level Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) meeting aimed at strengthening the continent’s fight against the ongoing Mpox outbreak.
On July 17, 2025, Dr. Nyan and his team participated in a workshop organized in Addis Ababa to evaluate the current Mpox vaccine supply and explore strategies to enhance vaccine campaign efforts across affected countries. The meeting brought together public health experts and scientists from across Africa to align on a unified response to the disease, with a focus on increasing local production capacity and reducing reliance on external sources.
The Liberian delegation includes representatives from NPHIL, the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Africa CDC. Members include Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan (NPHIL), Philip Kerkula (NPHIL), Lasee Colee (Ministry of Health), Jeremy S. Sesay (WHO), and Bakary Sonko (Africa CDC).
Dr. Nyan highlighted the critical importance of prioritizing research and development within Africa’s public health systems. He emphasized that the continent must invest in its own scientists and infrastructure to produce vaccines locally, adding that dependency on external suppliers undermines the urgency of outbreak response and puts lives at risk.
As Liberia continues to manage its public health challenges, the NPHIL Director-General stressed that regional collaboration and scientific innovation are key to advancing health security across Africa. He reaffirmed the commitment of his institution to the Mpox Incident Management System (IMS) and urged continued vigilance and support for public health safety initiatives.
The workshop also served as a platform for participants to share best practices, review the status of vaccine availability, and set new priorities for outbreak preparedness and response.
The Africa CDC conference marks a significant step forward in Liberia’s active role in continental public health dialogue and reinforces its leadership in advancing regional cooperation to stop the spread of Mpox.
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