Monrovia, Liberia – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia has received 15 brand-new HP laptop computers from the Government of Liberia’s Health Security Project, a significant boost to the Agency’s efforts to strengthen environmental surveillance and support the country’s One Health response.

The Health Security Project is a Government of Liberia initiative jointly implemented by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The project is designed to build national capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies by promoting collaboration across the human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Under the arrangement, the Ministry of Health leads the human health component, the Ministry of Agriculture oversees animal health, while the EPA is responsible for the environmental aspect of the initiative.

Presenting the laptops to the Deputy Executive Director for Technical Services for onward presentation to the Executive Director, the Director of the Department of Environmental Research and Radiation Safety, Mr. Rafael Ngumbu, described the donation as a major milestone in strengthening the EPA’s contribution to Liberia’s national health security agenda.

According to Mr. Ngumbu, the One Health approach recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the environment are closely interconnected and must be addressed collectively.

“The focus in the past has been on human health. We also work with the Ministry of Agriculture because animal health is equally important. But even if you look at human health and animal health and you don’t look at the environment, you can’t win. The environment is very, very powerful,” he said.

He explained that through the Health Security Project, the EPA has received support to strengthen environmental health surveillance by equipping inspectors with the tools needed to collect, analyze, and report information related to health security across Liberia.

Mr. Ngumbu disclosed that the 15 laptops will improve reporting and information management within the Agency, adding that the project will also provide 15 brand-new motorbikes next week to facilitate the movement of inspectors in carrying out field activities throughout the country.

“Our inspectors are on the frontline of environmental monitoring. These laptops will strengthen our reporting systems, while the motorbikes will improve our ability to reach communities and support health security interventions nationwide,” he noted.

Receiving the laptops on behalf of the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director for Technical Services, Hon. Dweh Siehwloh Boley, applauded the Department of Environmental Research and Radiation Safety for successfully developing a proposal that attracted support under the Health Security Project.

He described the achievement as evidence of the department’s innovation and commitment to advancing the EPA’s mandate.

“I want to thank you very much for this excellent work. The proposal was very creative, and today we are seeing the results. This is a very good initiative, and I encourage you to continue bringing forward innovative ideas that will strengthen the Agency,” Hon. Boley said.

He further assured the team that the laptops would be formally presented to the Executive Director and put to effective use in enhancing the Agency’s operations.

Receiving the equipment, EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo commended the department for its initiative and dedication, noting that the donation demonstrates the value of empowering professionals to innovate and deliver results.

“The vision is to provide leadership while giving our people the space to innovate. When you trust your staff to do their work, they produce meaningful results. This is a clear example of what our professionals can achieve when they are empowered,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said.

He expressed gratitude to the Health Security Project and the implementing partners for the timely support, emphasizing that the laptops and the anticipated motorbikes will greatly strengthen the EPA’s operational capacity.

Dr. Yarkpawolo said the equipment will improve environmental monitoring, data management, and reporting while enabling inspectors across Liberia to respond more effectively to environmental issues that have implications for public health.

The Executive Director also reaffirmed the EPA’s commitment to working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture under the One Health framework to protect the health of Liberians by addressing the environmental factors that contribute to disease outbreaks and other public health threats.