In order to showcase progress made in terms of scientific research in Liberia, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) in collaboration with African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is expected to host the Emmet A. Dennis National Scientific Conference (EDNSC) in Liberia.
The conference will bring together over 250 participants from in and out of Liberia at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, outside Monrovia, from August 29-31, 2022.
NPHIL Health System Strengthening Advisor, Paul Kennedy, have since told newsmen that the intent of the conference is to create awareness and showcase some of the works Liberians are doing in terms of scientific research.
According to him, Scientific Conferences around the world are actually venues where people showcase the capacity in a particular area, adding that « in our situation as the National Public Health Institute of Liberia we are trying to showcase the science minds that we have in the country.
He disclosed that , the third version of the Conference should have been held in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic many people could not gather, adding, “COVID-19 has now reduced, NPHIL as an institution can control it now.”
“We thought that it is now time to have the EDNSC conference in Liberia in honor of the Late Emmet A. Dennis of the University of Liberia who contributed a lot to this program,” he added.
The NPHIL official noted that with the upcoming conference, “We will be able to invite all scientists or contributors to science from August 29-31 where people will be presenting on different areas both oral and postal presentations will be made, » noting, “We will also have primary discussion and keynote speakers addressing several different issues in science.”
Meanwhile, NPHIL former Director for Training, now the field epidemiologist of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Lily Sanvee-Blebo said, in emphasis, that the purpose of the conference is to give scientists the opportunity to share their work across Liberia.
“We have done a lot of training and research in Liberia and looking at those things as Liberians, we thought it wise to share some of that information in the country, as we have done so much in the area of outbreak investigation,” said Madam Blebo.
She said, the first and second conferences were only for Liberians but the forthcoming one has been “a surprise so far due to the number of people who are sending in their abstract and registering from different countries so as to come to Liberia to present their research work as well.”
According to her, more than 100 people applied and sent in their abstracts but “we reviewed them and reduced and accepted 79 both in and out of Liberia, noting, « We have been giving awards for the winner for this competition. We give award for the best oral presenter and the best postal presenter and the overall best so it’s very serious competition,” she said.
