Monrovia, Liberia – The Acting Minister of Health, Dr. Catherine Thomas Cooper, made opening remarks at the Regional Risk Communication & Community Engagement (RCCE) Capacity Strengthening Workshop at Cape Hotel in Monrovia from June 17 to 19, 2025.
The Regional RCCE Capacity Strengthening Workshop brought together representatives from the Africa Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (Africa CDC); representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) including the Regional Center for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC); representatives from each of the 15 West Africa Regional Member State including the Executive Members of Western Africa Regional Risk Communication Network; Regional Partners; Armed Forces of Liberia; Ministry of Health – Liberia; and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia.
Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) is an essential component of health emergency preparedness and response action plan. It uses social science methods, two-way communication, rumor control, and participatory engagement to support communities in mitigating outbreaks and reducing their impact. The Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize RCCE as a key response pillar for public health emergencies.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) are committed to working with their regional, continental and global partners to ensure lessons learnt, success stories, international best practices, and regional coordination and collaboration remain enhanced before, during and after a public health outbreak.
