MONROVIA – The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) Thursday, August 21, received two visiting members of the United States Congress, Senator Jack Reed, Senator of Rhode Island and senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Representative Gabe Amo, Congressman of Rhode Island and member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The lawmakers were welcomed by NPHIL Director-General Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan and senior management staff. As part of their visit, the delegation toured the National Reference Laboratory (NRL), which serves as the backbone of Liberia’s laboratory system for disease detection, diagnosis, and surveillance.
During the tour, Dr. Nyan briefed the delegation on the Institute’s work in advancing Liberia’s public health security, including diagnostic testing for priority diseases, genomic sequencing, biosafety standards, and regional collaboration in outbreak preparedness and response.
Senator Reed and Representative Amo commended NPHIL for its progress in strengthening laboratory and surveillance systems since the Ebola outbreak and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Liberia in its health security agenda.
“We are deeply impressed by the dedication of the scientists and public health professionals at NPHIL,” said Senator Reed. “Your work is vital not only for Liberia but also for global health security.”
Representative Amo also emphasized the importance of sustained U.S.-Liberia cooperation:
“The United States and Liberia share a historic partnership, and public health is central to that relationship. We remain committed to working with Liberia to ensure strong and resilient systems that protect communities and save lives.”
NPHIL Director-General Dr. Nyan expressed appreciation for the visit and reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to strengthening Liberia’s public health capacity.
“This visit is a demonstration of the strong ties between Liberia and the United States. We look forward to expanding collaboration in laboratory science, training, and research to ensure Liberia is better prepared for any public health threat,” Dr. Nyan noted.
The visit of the two U.S. lawmakers highlights the importance of international partnerships in building resilient health systems and securing global health.
About NPHIL
The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) was established in 2017 to strengthen Liberia’s public health capacity through disease surveillance, research, diagnostics, and emergency preparedness and response. NPHIL works with national and international partners to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats.
