— As Liberia Records New Cases and Zero (0) Deaths
MONROVIA – Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and Chair of the Mpox Incident Management System (IMS), on Friday provided a detailed update on the current Mpox outbreak during a high-level leadership and partners meeting held at the MOH in Monrovia. According to Dr. Nyan, Liberia is currently managing 69 active Mpox cases with no reported deaths, a development he attributed to intensified surveillance, improved diagnostics, ongoing vaccination campaigns, and coordinated response efforts.
The meeting, convened by Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, brought together key national institutions and international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, Africa CDC, and UNICEF. The goal was to accelerate the country’s response to the Mpox outbreak by enhancing coordination and mobilizing more resources.
Dr. Nyan emphasized that NPHIL, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has expanded its operations to border counties such as Grand Cape Mount and Lofa to strengthen cross-border surveillance and control. “Mpox vaccines are being administered across the country to curtail the spread of the virus,” he stated.
In his presentation, Dr. Nyan applauded the level of interagency collaboration seen within the IMS framework, highlighting the participation of the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Agriculture, and the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) representing the Joint Security at Friday’s meeting. He cautioned all actors in the response effort to remain coordinated, warning against fragmented actions that could undermine national efforts and derail the outbreak response.
“This is not the time for anyone to go solo or create parallel systems,” he said, drawing attention to previous missteps during the COVID-19 response.
It can be recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health wrongfully formed a parallel IMS and removed NPHIL’s then-Director General, Dr. Mosoka Fallah, from his statutory role as IMS Chair. A separate team was created, leading to a disorganized and chaotic COVID-19 response where nobody could account for anything.
According to him, such fragmentation in leadership severely hampered transparency and accountability. He noted that lessons from the past must guide present actions to avoid repeating mistakes that could compromise public health.
Dr. Nyan further disclosed that insiders within the health sector have often attempted to exploit public health emergencies for personal enrichment. “There are always people who try to use outbreaks as a means of corruption and monetization. They are not interested in the actual work of saving lives. But under my leadership, those attempts are being resisted,” he said, reiterating his zero-tolerance policy on corruption.
Dr. Nyan, a renowned biomedical scientist and public health expert, has vowed to uphold transparency and prevent the misuse of outbreak response resources.
He stressed that regular IMS meetings, now held on Tuesdays and Fridays at NPHIL, are instrumental in driving decisions, planning interventions, and ensuring that partners and stakeholders remain informed and involved. The recent attendance of the World Bank country team and other partners at these meetings, he said, was a testament to the renewed credibility and coordination of Liberia’s public health system.
WHO’s representative to Liberia, praised the progress made thus far. “Liberia is in a very good place thanks to the work done at NPHIL and the proactive leadership in the national response,” he remarked, while also noting the need for intensified efforts in contact tracing, case finding, case management, and improving infection control protocols.
Minister of Health Dr. Louise Kpoto, addressing the same forum, echoed Dr. Nyan’s call for unity and praised all those involved in the ongoing response. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to a coordinated and effective approach, noting that vaccination efforts are now focused on frontline health workers, high-risk individuals, and confirmed contacts.
As Liberia battles the Mpox outbreak, health authorities say that with strong leadership exhibited by the NPHIL, vigilance, and collaboration, the country is poised to manage and overcome the challenge without loss of life.
