SIERRA LEONE’S NPHA BIOBANK EARNS AFRICA CDC TWO-STAR RATING FOR BIOSAFETY EXCELLENCE

By NPHA Media Unit

Sierra Leone has reached a significant milestone in health security and pathogen research, as the National Public Health Agency (NPHA) Biobank has been awarded a two-star certification by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). This recognition highlights the country’s growing capabilities in safely managing and studying high-consequence pathogens.

The certification follows a rigorous on-site assessment conducted by Africa CDC experts on May 22–23, 2025. The two-star rating confirms that the NPHA Biobank has met essential biosafety, biosecurity, and quality management standards positioning it among a select group of African institutions qualified to work with dangerous pathogens while minimizing the risk of public health emergencies.

Dr. Jude Williams, Manager of Biobanking and Biosecurity, remarked, “It implies we have some of the basic capacities to safely handle high-consequence organisms without any risk of causing outbreaks. We also have the systems to study these organisms, so we better understand how to prevent, respond to, and treat such threats.”

Having launched full operations just two years ago, the Biobank’s progress is notable in a region where only a few institutions have achieved similar or higher levels of certification. Dr. Williams referenced the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Ghana an institution with over four decades of experience and a four-star rating
as a benchmark. “We are proud that, with only two years of operations and this being our first assessment, we have achieved two stars. It gives us hope that with hard work and continued support, we can reach the level of institutions like Noguchi soon,” he added.

This certification affirms Sierra Leone’s commitment to building resilient public health infrastructure and its readiness to contribute to continental and global efforts in disease surveillance, outbreak response, and biomedical research.

Professor Brigadier Foday Sahr, Executive Director of the NPHA, expressed pride in the accomplishment. “I am very happy that under my leadership, our little efforts are putting us in the right position, and we are ensuring that Sierra Leone’s health security is top-notched.” He emphasized that sustaining and improving this achievement will require “continued support to the biobank from partners and the Government of Sierra Leone.”

Looking ahead, the Biobank plans to strengthen its quality management systems, invest in advanced staff training, and expand partnerships with leading regional and global research institutions. While the two-star certification marks a beginning, it signals Sierra Leone’s rising potential to become a regional center of excellence in biobanking and pathogen research.