MONROVIA – The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has officially launched a nationwide mapping initiative aimed at monitoring and ensuring public health standards are met across various sectors. The exercise, which commenced on February 24, 2025, is set to run until March 4, 2025, and will take place daily between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Under the leadership of Director General Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, the mapping exercise targets a wide range of businesses and institutions, including water and food processing companies, healthcare facilities, beauty salons, barber shops, chemical stores, funeral homes, hotels, guest houses, supermarkets, and educational institutions. The effort aims to gather key data such as business names, locations, types of operations, dates of establishment, and ownership details.
This initiative is designed to create a comprehensive database that will allow NPHIL to monitor business compliance with public health regulations and provide guidance where necessary. Dr. Nyan emphasized that the exercise is crucial for strengthening Liberia’s public health infrastructure and regulatory oversight. The Division of Environmental and Occupational Health at NPHIL is tasked with overseeing the exercise and ensuring that businesses adhere to national health standards throughout the process.
The mapping exercise builds on a 2021 joint administrative regulation between the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and NPHIL, which focused on sectors like food establishments, water companies, and funeral homes. This regulation was aimed at enhancing public health safety through stricter oversight.
NPHIL officials have expressed their appreciation for the cooperation shown by business owners and managers thus far, but they also stressed that full participation from all institutions is necessary for the success of the exercise. The institute warned that failure to comply could result in penalties or other legal actions in the future.
Dr. Nyan reiterated the importance of public cooperation in ensuring the safety of consumers and the general public, emphasizing that the mapping is part of a larger strategy to improve public health surveillance across Liberia. The initiative reflects NPHIL’s ongoing commitment to creating a safer and healthier environment for all Liberians.
