U.S.-based Liberian educator and scientist Dr. John T. Wulu, Sr. has urged Liberia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) to transition from paper-based and fragmented digital systems to a unified Electronic Medical Records (EMR) platform.
He emphasized that a well-structured data governance framework would enhance patient care, improve decision-making, and strengthen health planning across the country.
Presenting on the theme, “The Development and Implementation of Data Governance and Standards in the Office of Immigration Statistics of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” Dr. Wulu highlighted that effective data governance ensures health data are accurate, secure, accessible, and ethically used. He noted that Liberia’s limited budgets, infrastructure, and workforce demand a governance model tailored to the realities of public hospitals and clinics.
The presentation, hosted by Dr. Benedict B. Kolee, Deputy Minister for Health Services, Head of the Health Minister’s Delivery Unit, and Chief Pathologist at the MOH, took place recently in Congo Town.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister Malayah Tamba Chieyo thanked Dr. Wulu for accepting the invitation on short notice and for sharing his expertise with health officials. Closing the session, Assistant Minister Dr. Anthoney Fortune praised the presentation and invited Dr. Wulu to return for follow-up sessions with the Ministry’s technical team to review Liberia’s EMR systems and identify areas for improvement.
Highlights from Dr. Wulu’s Presentation
Accuracy
“Accurate data ensures the quality of systems and business processes,” Dr. Wulu noted, adding that data integrity is key to achieving Return on Investment (ROI) and enabling evidence-based decisions that benefit the entire health system.
Consistency
“Data Governance and Data Management are ongoing sustainment processes, not one-time projects,” he emphasized. “Definitions, standards, and values must remain consistent across the enterprise.”
Accountability
Dr. Wulu stressed the need for clear ownership of data governance responsibilities. “Adhering to governance policies and standards should be a core job requirement. A single, trusted source of data enables accurate reporting and better decision-making,” he said.
Cost-Effectiveness and Risk-Benefit
He encouraged the MOH to focus data governance efforts on high-impact areas and known challenges. This includes conducting risk assessments, ensuring data accessibility for clinicians and policymakers, and protecting patient privacy while maintaining data security.
He further recommended standardizing data definitions, formats, and workflows across healthcare facilities to improve data quality, timeliness, and interoperability with national and regional systems—key for effective public health surveillance.
Data Stewardship and Governance Model
Dr. Wulu described Data Stewardship as “the management and oversight of an organization’s data assets to ensure business users have access to high-quality, consistent, and readily available information.”
