MONROVIA – The Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, has taken to social media to amplify the national Mpox awareness campaign by sharing a new community health video featuring popular Liberian comedian Mamà Liberia.
The video, posted on Facebook, is part of a broader public education initiative aimed at curbing the spread of Mpox across the country. It can be viewed here https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16QSjViAc1/.
In his post, Dr. Nyan wrote, “Message from Celebrity Mamà Liberia,” followed by key public health guidance: “Stop Mpox; Avoid Contacts; Report Suspected Cases; and Wash and Sanitize Hands Regularly.” He credited the coordination of the campaign to NPHIL’s epidemiologist, Jamesetta Sosome Chesson, and reaffirmed the agency’s ongoing commitment to educating the public. The message concluded with the hashtags: #StopMpox, #NPHIL, and #OutbreakResponse.
This latest effort comes on the heels of Dr. Nyan’s recent field visits to frontline awareness sites, including the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital and the community entertainment hub D’Calabash. On Thursday, June 19, 2025, Dr. Nyan visited St. Joseph Catholic Hospital, where he praised the institution for its proactive role in informing patients and staff about the symptoms, transmission, and prevention of Mpox. He described the hospital’s efforts as timely and consistent with national public health goals.
At D’Calabash, Dr. Nyan and a team of risk communication specialists from NPHIL engaged directly with members of the public and business operators. The team distributed posters and other educational materials as part of a broader push to reach both formal and informal sectors with accurate information on Mpox prevention. Dr. Nyan noted that this initiative forms a vital component of NPHIL’s Incident Management System (IMS) strategy, which is central to Liberia’s coordinated response to public health threats.
“The Mpox awareness campaign aligns well with the Incident Management System response strategies currently being implemented by NPHIL,” Dr. Nyan stated. “This is a commendable step that contributes meaningfully to our collective public health response.”
As the national agency responsible for monitoring and responding to infectious disease threats, NPHIL continues to scale up its outreach across communities. The inclusion of well-known cultural figures like Ma Liberia in the campaign is seen as a strategic move to increase public engagement and trust in the messaging, particularly among youth and informal populations.
