During his recent visit to Liberia, the Award-winning Liberian Scientist Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan was able to meet with former President Ellen Johnson Sirlea, but he said that all efforts to meet with current President George Weah hit a snag.
During his meeting with the former President, Mrs. congratulated the Liberian scientist and inventor on receiving the US Patent for his invention.
Liberia and Africa’s first elected woman President said she is “very proud of Dr. Nyan’s scientific achievements, his service to the nation, and his positive representation of Liberia and Africa on the global stage.”
She thanked him for putting us [Liberia] and Africa on the world map in science and medicine, she added.
Former President Sirleaf was speaking in Monrovia recently during a meeting with the Liberian Scientist at her private office located in the Sinkor suburb of Monrovia.
“Your work will benefit not only Liberia, but all of humanity and I am here to support it in every way possible,” former President Sirleaf said.
Dr. Nyan’s invention is a multiplex diagnostic test for detecting multiple infectious diseases in 10 to 40 minutes using one test. The test can detect HIV, Hepatitis, Ebola, Malaria and other infections.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently awarded Dr. Nyan a US Patent for his test, giving him sole legal, intellectual property, and commercial rights.
However, Dr. Nyan was unable to meet with President Weah during his recent visit to his motherland.
“I made every effort to see our current President, H.E. George Weah, but some authorities remained unresponsive to my request to make an appointment,” Dr. Nyan said.
Dr. Nyan was National Orator of Liberia’s 169 Independence Celebration in July 2016. In his message to the nation, he admonished politicians to desist from ethinc politics and called for peace and unity among Liberians.
He also encouraged the government to investment in science, healthcare, technology, and education in order for the country to progress.
Dr. Nyan, an infectious specialist, is winner of the prestigious African Innovation Award Special Prize for Social Impact in 2017. He is now Chief Executive and Scientific Officer of Shufflex Biomed, a newly formed US-Liberian biotechnology company.
Speaking during his meeting with the former Liberian leader, Dr. Nyan thanked President Sirleaf for her offer of support to his work and for keeping the peace in Liberia for the 12 years of her administration.
Presented President Sirleaf with a souvenir copy of his US Patent plaque and mug, while reminding the former president of the encouraging challenge she posed to Dr. Nyan in 2006 in her autographed message to him Dr. Nyan.
On February 1, 2006, then President-Elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf autographed Dr. Nyan’s Medical Microbiology text book he used in providing free instructions to medical students at the University of Liberia’s A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine. Dr. Nyan lectured for a semester from October 2005 to February 2006 as an unpaid visiting professor.
The autograph message reads as follows: “To Dr. Dougbeh Nyan with best wishes and congratulations on your achievement in the area of health. Liberia looks forward to benefiting from your skills and commitment.” -Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 02-01-06”
Dr. Nyan tells www.newspublictrust.com, “I took as a challenge the President-Elect’s last statement in that message that, “Liberia looks forward to benefiting from your skills and commitment.”
“Therefore, this invention and my US Patent is an interim fulfilment of this challenge as there is still more work to be done,” Dr. Nyan says.
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