Former UL President Wants Gov’t Invest In Research Programs

The former President of the University of Liberia (UL), Dr. Emmett Dennis, has recommended to the Government of Liberia (GoL) to invest more in capacity building programs for research and development.

Dr. Dennis, in his recommendation, urged the Liberian Government to invest in having at least 300 Liberians annually in research based graduate programs for at least the next 15 to 20 years.

The former UL President made the recommendation at the ongoing first annual Emmet A. Dennis Scientific Conference, a conference held in honor of him (Dr. Dennis) for his numerous roles played in scientific research over the many decades in Liberia.

The conference, which is being held in Monrovia under the theme: “Fostering the culture of evidence-based public health practice and research in Liberia,” is co-organized by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), the Field Epidemiology Training Program and the UL.

“Liberia and its institutions are still wanting in sufficiently qualified and experienced human capacity to successfully implement their development agendas,” said Dr. Dennis.

“The need is so urgent, particularly for our tertiary educational institutions, that must provide the qualified human capital for government, that I would recommend that the Government of Liberia invests in having at least 300 Liberians/year in research based graduate programs for at least the next 15-20 years,” he recommended.

He observed that much has been and is being accomplished since the end Ebola virus disease (EVD) relative to strengthening of health delivery system based on its four pillars, namely; the establishment of NPHIL, strengthening of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and UL Medical School among others.

However, he said despite these achievements, more need to be done in the health sector, especially in the area of medical research.

“It is clear that ma major reality and hindrance in doing substantial sustainable research in public health and biomedicine in Liberia is the severe dearth of sufficiently qualified and experienced Liberian human capital and the infrastructure for significant, and for relevant research. As such, historically, much of the prerogative for biomedical research have resided in external researchers and collaborators with programs and projects that did not lead to substantial training of Liberia researchers,” he among other things indicated.

Dr. Ophelia Innez Weeks, current President of the UL, thanked the organizers for having the conference in honor of her predecessor (Dr. Dennis), who, according to her, has made tremendous mark in the area of scientific research and study.

“Sometimes it is difficult for us to appreciate when we have the good thing.  Sometimes we have to have death before we appreciate life; sometimes we have to be sick before we appreciate wellness; we have to have torrential rain before we appreciate the sunshine,” Dr. Weeks noted.

She disclosed that the UL through Faculty Senate has approved a Bachelor Degree Program in Public Health and Master’s Degree Program in Public Health.

She hoped and prayed that this milestone achievement will lead to the establishment of a School of Public Health.

“We are also in the process of putting in place a Vice President for Health Sciences and number of people in this room in on the selection committee of that person,” she further disclosed.

Madam Nuwo Howard, Acting Minister of Health, stressed the urgent need for scientific research and study in order to reduce public health threat by promoting disease prevention.

“We must study in a new and systematic ways to prevent diseases. It is our hope that Liberia is on the platform for international research and study,” she added.