By Socrates Smythe Saywon | Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – Renowned Liberian biomedical scientist and public health expert Dr. Dougbeh Christopher Nyan has renewed calls for transparency from the Ministry of Health (MoH), raising concerns over the government’s silence regarding 16 individuals placed under observation for possible Ebola exposure and questioning the justification for a controversial US$4.2 million preparedness request.
In a statement on Monday, June 15, 2026, Dr. Nyan said more than three weeks have passed since health authorities reportedly placed 16 individuals under monitoring after their arrival from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, countries that had reported cases of Ebola Bundibugyo. Yet, according to him, neither health professionals nor the public have received any official update regarding the outcome of the monitoring process.
“Twenty-one (21) days have elapsed in view of established pathogenic and epidemiological procedure and criteria for monitoring of any ‘suspected’ Ebola case,” Dr. Nyan wrote.
At the same time, he sought to reassure the public that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in Liberia.
“For your reassurance, there is No Ebola detected in Liberia! No Ebola in Liberia! Again, so far as I am aware, there is No Ebola detected in Liberia,” he emphasized.
His comments come amid lingering public interest surrounding reports that a group of travelers had been isolated and observed by health authorities as a precautionary measure following concerns linked to the Ebola outbreak in parts of East and Central Africa.
While commending the importance of vigilance against infectious diseases, Dr. Nyan argued that the Ministry of Health has an ethical responsibility to provide updates once critical public health benchmarks have been reached.
According to him, several important questions remain unanswered.
“Is the 21-day monitoring completed? What was the results of the monitoring? Is everyone of the 16 cleared as non-infected or non-infectious? If so, by what means?” he asked.
He further questioned whether health authorities identified and monitored any contacts associated with the travelers and whether any follow-up procedures were conducted in accordance with international public health standards.
The absence of public communication, Dr. Nyan warned, risks fueling speculation, confusion, and misinformation at a time when public confidence in health institutions remains critical.
“For public health transparency and accountability, authorities are under ethical obligation to provide said salient information to prevent speculations, undue anxiety, and misinformation. The public urge for accurate information cannot be left in abeyance,” he stated.
Drawing from his professional experience in Germany, Dr. Nyan recounted a case involving an American patient who tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo and was treated in isolation at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin. He noted that German authorities regularly informed the public throughout the monitoring process, including updates on the patient’s family members who had tested negative but remained under observation.
According to Dr. Nyan, such transparency helped reassure the public and strengthened confidence in the country’s public health response.
Beyond the unanswered questions surrounding the 16 monitored individuals, Dr. Nyan also revived concerns about the Ministry of Health’s request for US$4.2 million in funding for Ebola preparedness efforts submitted in May 2026.
The proposed budget request generated public debate at the time, with critics questioning whether the amount was justified given that no Ebola cases had been reported in Liberia.
Dr. Nyan reiterated his earlier position that the funding proposal was excessive.
“Importantly, all of this comes amidst the MoH proposed $4.2M request in May 2026 for ‘Preparation’ against Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak occurring distance away in the DR Congo and Uganda,” he wrote.
“As previously countered, this MoH $4.2M request just for ‘Preparation’ was too high, exorbitant, and unjustified. At most a $1.3M was suggested as a counter proposal.”
His criticism extends beyond financial concerns. Dr. Nyan argued that the government now owes the public greater transparency, particularly because the same situation involving the 16 monitored individuals became the basis for significant public attention and policy actions.
He pointed specifically to the controversy involving Nurse Paola Bedell, who was reportedly suspended after information relating to the 16 individuals became public.
“In this connection, an official status-update on the 16 persons is ever more important as health authorities arrested, dehumanized, and ultimately suspended a Nurse (Paola Bedell) for the same 16-person information obtained from an in-service training at the John F. Kennedy Hospital,” Dr. Nyan asserted.
The scientist also used the occasion to raise broader concerns about what he described as the politicization and commercialization of public health emergencies.
“I reiterate that outbreaks should not be commercialized or monetized. Public Health, Science and Medicine should not be politicized,” he declared.
He further warned against the use of disease outbreaks to generate fear among citizens or to secure financial support without adequate justification and accountability.
According to Dr. Nyan, public health institutions must be guided by science, ethics, honesty, and professional integrity rather than politics or bureaucracy.
“The work we do in biomedical science, medicine, and public health is a social professional responsibility that requires the highest of ethics, standards, honesty, and integrity,” he stated.
“The contrary will continue to erode public trust, the regaining of which will be extremely difficult if not impossible.”
As questions persist regarding the status of the 16 monitored individuals, the Ministry of Health has yet to publicly respond to Dr. Nyan’s latest concerns. However, his remarks are likely to intensify calls for greater transparency regarding the government’s Ebola preparedness efforts, the outcome of the monitoring process, and the use of public resources allocated for disease prevention and emergency response.
