MONROVIA – A five-day Research Prioritization Workshop and Research Mapping Exercisesis hosted by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) in collaboration with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC). According to a press release from NPHIL issued on Thursday, May 1, 2025, the exercise aims to identify clinical and biomedical research sites across Liberia and assess the country’s capacity for conducting clinical research trials.
The workshop brings together over 30 public health experts, doctors, and stakeholders from key national institutions, including the Ministry of Health, NACP, NMCP, NLTCP, the Ministry of Agriculture, the University of Liberia, the Environmental Protection Agency, Liberia College of Physician and Surgeon and the Armed Forces of Liberia, among others. The Research Prioritization Mapping is intended to develop a strategic framework for public health and biomedical research that aligns with national, regional, and continental public health research and development priorities.
The workshop is designed to identify and prioritize thematic areas across a range of diseases and health conditions; Identify diseases and conditions with significant gaps in knowledge related to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and social determinants; Develop research questions that can generate actionable evidence to inform policy and program decisions; Draft a national and regional roadmap for conducting health research in the short, medium, and long term.
The initiative is part of a broader effort led by Africa-CDC to strengthen health systems and research capacity across the African Continent. This initiative will ensure that African countries can respond effectively to emerging health threats and reduce the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
During the opening session, Mr. Philip Bemah, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at NPHIL, welcomed the participants on behalf of the Director-General, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, and emphasized the importance of evidence-based decision-making in national health planning.
“Health research plays a crucial role in informing policies that can save lives and improve health outcomes.
This workshop is a major step toward aligning our national research agenda with the most urgent needs of our population, Mr. Bemah asserted.
The outcomes of the workshop will feed into the Africa-CDC’s continental research agenda and will support the implementation of national strategies to close critical health knowledge gaps, improve public health interventions, and strengthen epidemic preparedness and response. #NPHIL08#
Issued by the Communication Division of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL); For information, please contact Joseph S. Wiah, NPHIL Communication Division at Tel. +231.770.264.963. Document electronically coded.
