Contributed by Fatoumata Njei
(L-R) Ex VP Joseph N. Boakai, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, M.D., and Ex Pres. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Former Liberian leaders, Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf have individually praised infectious disease scientist and inventor, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan for his representation of Liberia and Africa in global science and medicine.
The leaders also congratulated the medical scientist on being granted his second patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for his invention of the rapid multiplex diagnostic test for infectious diseases, now named the NYAN-TEST.
This comes as Dr. Nyan, over the weekend, presented an autographed souvenir copy of his 2nd US Patent to former Vice President Boakai during breakfast at his [Boakai’s] home in Paynesville, Monrovia on Friday.
On Sunday during a prayer service at the First United Methodist Church in Monrovia, the renowned scientist also presented same to former President Sirleaf, followed by a Sunday-lunch at Madame Sirleaf’s residence.
Presenting the patent-plaques, Dr. Nyan gratefully acknowledged the encouragement and moral support he [Nyan] received from both President Sirleaf and VP Boakai over the years since he served as July 26th Independence Day National Orator in 2016.
“Thank you very much for your support and encouragement of my work and the patriotic challenge you posed which helped pushed me to these achievements; I say this, because we need to always say the good things that people do for us,” said Dr. Nyan.
In 2017, Dr. Nyan was among 3 winners of the prestigious African Innovation Award out of over 2000 competitors from all over Africa. This was Liberia’s first and only time being represented.
Considered Africa’s “Nobel Prize” for scientific innovations, the African Innovation Award was sponsored and organized by the African Innovation Foundation.
Both Boakai and Johnson-Sirleaf applauded the scientist for his accomplishments that have placed Liberia and Africa on the global map of science and technology. Both elders described Dr. Nyan as a Liberian patriot, and a pride to the nation and Africa.
Dr. Nyan’s invention is a rapid multiplex diagnostic test for detecting multiple infectious diseases within 10 to 40 minutes using one test. The test can detect HIV, COVID-19, Hepatitis viruses, Ebola, Malaria and other infections.
He was instrumental in the fight against the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the COVID-19 fight in the US, Liberia, and several African countries.
The two US Patents awarded to Dr. Nyan grant the world acclaimed African scientist the sole legal, intellectual property, and commercial rights.
Dr. Nyan is currently in Liberia on an unpaid voluntary academic and professional semester-long teaching mission at his Alma mater, the Monrovia College where he teaches biology, and at various universities in Monrovia, Harbel, and Gompa Cities, where he lectures public health microbiology, public health biology and infectious diseases.
On Wednesday (5th October 2022 at 2:00 pm GMT), Dr. Nyan, a volunteer visiting professor at the African Methodist Episcopal University, will serve a guest lecturer in the first science symposium organized by the College of Science and Allied Health.
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