By Stephanie M. Duncan
Apparently relying on Liberia’s excellent record in the fight against Ebola several years ago, renowned Liberian scientist has assured Liberians that the country remains capable of resisting any potential Ebola outbreak.
Despite the assurance, Dr. Chris Dougbeh Nyan, who is former Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) cautioned that political interference must not override scientific expertise.
His comments come amid growing concerns over recent Ebola outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. In a social media post that has gained widespread attention over the weekend, the infectious disease expert emphasized that Liberia’s public health system is robust and well-equipped to respond effectively to any health emergency if technical professionals are allowed to work independently.
According to Dr. Nyan, Liberia’s public health infrastructure has evolved significantly since the devastating 2014 Ebola epidemic and now possesses the experience, expertise, and systems necessary to detect and contain dangerous outbreaks.
“The country’s public health experts are highly capable and prepared,” Dr. Nyan noted, stressing that science, ethics, and professionalism must remain at the center of outbreak response efforts.
Dr. Nyan is internationally recognized for inventing the Nyan Test, a rapid multiplex diagnostic technology capable of detecting and distinguishing multiple infectious diseases, including Ebola, malaria, and Zika virus, within less than an hour.
During his tenure as head of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, he spearheaded efforts to strengthen the country’s disease surveillance and emergency response systems in collaboration with global health partners such as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
He highlighted that Liberia’s public health experts have continued to sharpen their response capacity through successful management of COVID-19 and Mpox cases, making the nation more resilient against emerging health threats.
Dr. Nyan further revealed that Liberia’s scientific community demonstrated its professionalism as recently as September 2025 when technical experts at NPHIL reportedly resisted external bureaucratic pressure that could have resulted in a false Viral Hemorrhagic Fever outbreak alarm.
According to him, laboratory scientists at the National Reference Laboratory produced credible and uncontestable negative test results, preventing what he described as an unnecessary national panic and possible economic shutdown.
“Our leadership and team at the NPHIL remained ethical and professional,” Dr. Nyan stated. “Hence, the country remained viable and functional.”
While noting that Liberia remains geographically distant from the current Ebola outbreaks in East and Central Africa, Dr. Nyan cautioned that international travel still poses a risk, making continuous vigilance essential.
He said Liberia’s surveillance mechanisms are already actively monitoring for Ebola, Marburg, and other highly infectious diseases, but emphasized the importance of strengthening port health systems, maintaining reliable laboratory testing, and allowing qualified scientific experts to independently lead outbreak responses without political or bureaucratic interference.
Dr. Nyan also encouraged Liberians to continue practicing preventive measures adopted during previous public health emergencies, including regular handwashing and sanitizing.
Because early Ebola symptoms often resemble malaria, such as fever, headache, and nausea, he urged citizens experiencing such symptoms to seek immediate medical attention and rely only on verified scientific information rather than rumors.
With effective Ebola vaccines now available globally and regional institutions including the West African Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention closely monitoring developments, Dr. Nyan said Liberia remains in a strong position to protect its citizens.
Many health experts believe the systems and scientific standards established by professionals like Dr. Nyan have significantly strengthened Liberia’s preparedness, positioning the country to respond swiftly and effectively to any future outbreak threats.
About The Author
