THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2014

The US Congress’ commitment in the fight against the Ebola virus,the United States Department of State’s order for all eligible family members not employed to depart Monrovia and Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan’s revelation of the collapsing health care system in the country are among stories dominating our summary for today, Monday, August 11, 2014.

DOMINANT STORIES

US Congress To Commit Resources To The Fight Against Ebola

The NEWS reports that the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations of the US Congress, New Jersey Representative Christopher Smith has assured that his Committee takes the outbreak of Ebola in Liberia and other West African countries very seriously and would work to ensure that the US Government commits funds towards the fight against the deadly virus.  Chairman Smith gave these words of assurance during a brief discussion with Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan after the conclusion of a hearing on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa held Thursday, August 7, 2014 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA. Congressman Smith revealed that as a way of scaling up US Government budgetary support towards the fight against tropical diseases, he had
introduced in the US Congress “The End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act (HR 4847)”. The Act also aims to support a broad range of implementation and research and development activities to achieve cost-effective and sustainable treatment, control and, where possible, eliminate neglected tropical diseases. Congressman assured that he would include Ebola in a redrafted bill that will be introduced in the US Congress during the coming weeks and hopes that Congress will act on the bill quickly. Speaking earlier Minister Ngafuan gave Congressman Smith a snap shot of the current Ebola crisis in Liberia, the challenges being encountered as well as the measures that have been taken thus far by the Liberian Government and the Liberian people to bring the disease under control. Minister Ngafuan however revealed that Liberia and other West African countries presently confronting the Ebola outbreak would require an urgent scaling up of financial, logistical, and other forms of assistance from the international community including the US Government in order to put a halt the rapid spread of the disease, which he described as a threat not only to West Africa but the entire world.

Related Caption: US Congress to Help Fight Ebola(INSIGHT), US Congress To Commit Resources to Fight Ebola(In Profile Daily), US Congress Concerned Commits Resources to Anti-Ebola Fight (The Analyst)

‘Ebola Will Have Long-Term Impact’-Says Foreign Minister Ngafuan

The health care system in Liberia is collapsing, hospitals closing down and medical workers fleeing from the Ebola epidemic, which is poised to worsen, Liberia’s Foreign Minister said last Thursday. “People are dying from common diseases because the health care system is collapsing”, the New Republic quotes Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan as saying in an interview with Thomson Reuters Foundation. “It is going to have a long-term impact, even after this crisis is behind us.” Treatable diseases such as malaria and diarrhea are left untended because frightened Liberians are shunning medical centers, and these deaths could outstrip those from the Ebola virus by three or four fold, he said. But his biggest concern is the spreading epidemic. “We are hearing it is going to get worse before it gets better. My main worry is the fear of how many people will die. Right now it is out of control and jumps from place to place,” Ngafuan said. The number of trained doctors and nurses, already in critical short supply after years of civil war, is shrinking as medical workers get infected, quarantined or are afraid to report to work.

Related Captions:Ngafuan Admits to Healthcare Collapse(FOCUS), Liberia Health System Collapsing as Ebola Spreads(The Analyst), Foreign Min.: Liberia Health System Collapsing As Ebola Spreads(Heritage)

U.S. Orders Departure From Monrovia All Eligible Family Members

The United States Department of State has ordered the departure from Monrovia of eligible family members (EFMs) not employed by post in the coming days. According to a statement issued on August 7, 2014 by the U.S. Department of State Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, the order was a result of a recommendation of the U.S. Embassy in Liberia. The statement disclosed that the Embassy recommended this step out of an abundance of caution, following the determination by the Department’s Medical Office that there is a lack of options for routine health care services at major medical facilities due to the Ebola outbreak. “We are reconfiguring the Embassy staff to be more responsive to the current situation.  “We remain deeply committed to supporting Liberia and Liberian, regional, and international efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Liberian health care infrastructure and system specifically, their capacity to control and reverse the transmission of the Ebola virus,” the statement mentioned, Heritage reports.

Related Captions: U.S. Ask Citizens to Leave Liberia-Department of States Cites Health Care Limitation in Face of the Ebola Outbreak (INSIGHT), U.S. Orders ‘Eligible Family Members’ Out of Liberia-Sends More Disease Specialists to Fight Ebola(Daily Observer), U.S. Orders Family Members Evacuated—From Liberia(The News), US Send Disease Specialists-Says Eligible Family Members Should Depart Liberia(The Analyst), U.S. Orders Departure of Eligible Family Members From Liberia(National Chronicle)

Pres. Sirleaf Foresees Unity & Reconciliation In Ebola Crisis`

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the three day of National Fast and Prayer can help turn the Ebola virus disease crisis into tremendous opportunities, including one of unity, reconciliation, and deepening our faith.  “With God’s grace and with his blessings we can turn this crisis into opportunities.” The Liberian leader said. Adding “an opportunity for unity, an opportunity for reconciliation, an opportunity for helping, an opportunity for humanity, and an opportunity to deepen our faith.” President Sirleaf made the comments at programs marking the climax of a three day National Fast and Prayer at the old Providence Baptist Church now a national shrine late Friday evening, August 8, 2014, INSIGHT reports.

Related caption: Pres. Sirleaf Hails Fast & Prayer(FOCUS), Ellen Says 3-Day National Fast and Prayer Can Turn Ebola Crisis Into Opportunities (In Profile Daily), National Fast and Prayer Can Turn Ebola Crisis into Opportunities-President Sirleaf(Daily Observer), Ebola Crisis Could Be Turned Into Opportunities(The Analyst)

SRSG Reaffirms UN Commitment To Combat Ebola In Liberia

Following the declaration on 6 August of a 90-day state of emergency in Liberia, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Liberia, Karin Landgren, said: The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) takes note of the extraordinary measures put in place by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to combat the Ebola epidemic, including the 90-day state of emergency and the deployment of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to assist with quarantine efforts. She said UNMIL is committed to doing all it can to help stop Ebola in Liberia.  Thirty-five United Nations staff are now providing logistical support to the Ebola response, and the state of emergency will not affect our operations.  Ebola can be defeated if all Liberians unite to make it end.  UNMIL remains committed to working for continued stability and development in Liberia and the region, Heritage writes.

Related Caption: SRSG Reaffirms UN Commitment to Combat Ebola(The Inquirer),

OTHER STORIES

President Gets Legislature $20m Go-Ahead To Fight Deadly Virus

In the wake of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak in Liberia, the Liberian Legislature has voted in favor of a decision to give emergency spending power to the executive Branch of government headed by the President during the observance of the 90-day state of emergency. The lawmakers agreed Friday, August 8, 2014 during a special session that the President should proceed in expending the twenty Million United states dollars that has been budgeted for in fighting the spread of the deadly Ebola virus that has claimed the lives of over 280 Liberians and foreign nationals. The Lawmakers decision comes in the wake of ongoing debate by the Ways, Means and Finance Committees of both the House of Representatives and the Liberian Senate on the fiscal year 2014/2015 National budget, FrontPageAfrica reports.

Chinese Ebola Doctors Coming

According to the New Democrat, Chinese disease control experts are expected in the three West African nations affected by Ebola seen the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) said on.  The NHFPC announced on Saturday that China will send three expert teams and medical supplies to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to assist the prevention and control of the Ebola virus.  China dispatched emergency humanitarian aid supplies from Shanghai to West African nations hit by Ebola on Sunday. The relief is expected to arrive on Monday or Tuesday after it left Shanghai at 3p.m, Ministry of Commerce (MOC) spokesman Sun Jiwen said.

Obama Sets Up Special Working Group – To Consider Potential Use Of ExperimentalDrugs In Affected Countries

TheNew Republic writes that the Obama administration is forming a special Ebola working group to consider setting policy for the potential use of experimental drugs to help the hundreds infected by the deadly disease in West Africa, U?S officials said on Thursday . The group is being formed under Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services, an administration official said.

Ellen Meets With Health Workers

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has met with health workers in Monrovia, promising to support health practitioners and create more treatment centers across the country to intensify the ongoing fight against the Ebola Virus Disease. Speaking Saturday, August 9th at the Monrovia City Hall during a meeting with the leadership of the Health Workers Association of Liberia, the Liberian leader said the government is saddened each time a medical practitioner dies of the virus, because the responsibility rests on their shoulders to save human lives, saying that the government would do everything necessary to support health workers as they serve the public, New Dawn reports.

NEC Suspends Political Campaigns

The National Elections Commission has temporarily suspended the start of the political campaign for the October 14, 2014 Special Senatorial Election. The commission said the suspension is in support of the national health crisis the country is faced with. Recently, NEC through its National Chairman, Cllr. Jerome George Korkoya requested for the postponement of the senatorial election to December.  According to key dates for the election, the period for political campaign should have commenced from August 12 thru October 12, 2014, but the commission said in its wisdom, the entire campaign process be suspended until otherwise. The release said a new date for the start of the campaign will be announced, New Dawn reports.

Muslim Community Warned Against Bathing Of Dead Bodies

The Spokesman of the National Imam Council of Liberia, Imam Mohammed Turay, has issued a stern warning to the Muslim Community in Liberia against the bathing of dead bodies. According him, they can never tell who is affected by the Ebola disease. Imam Turay noted that the Holy Koran forbids the touching of bodies affected by any deadly disease, noting that this portion of the Holy Koran should not be disrespected by anyone.  Imam Turay warning comes on the heels a preventive measure by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare against the spread of the Deadly Ebola Virus which has claimed the lives of nearly 300 persons   in the country, Heritage reports.

Methodist Church Joins Ebola Fight

The John Kofi Asman United Methodist Church (UMC) in the township of West Point has joined the fight against the deadly Ebola virus that has claimed the lives of hundreds of Liberians. The Church had distributed Sanitizers in communities across the country with the recent donation being of the people of West Point. Youths of the Church led by Mr. Samuel K. Quarshie, were seen over the weekend under a pour of rain, distributing buckets, soap and other disinfectants to residents of the densely populated community in furtherance of the campaign to prevent the spread of the virus, New Dawn reports.

Liberian Infectious Disease Specialist in the U.S

A Liberian infectious disease specialist has left the Country for two weeks in the United States will form part of scholars and researchers in the United States to participate in the 2014 Translational Health Disparities Course at the National Institute of Health. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities is the research arm of the Department of Health and Human Services of the US Government. It is the single largest research entity in the world with an annual budget of approximately US$25 billion. Dr. Stephen Kennedy, Secretary General of the Liberia Post Graduate Program, along with other scholars and researchers will discuss a wide range of relevant topics in addressing health disparities. They will also address issues sufficiently specific and stimulating to inspire scholarships.  The aim of the conference of researchers and scholars is to make the most of the best, and hope to offer the opportunity for mutual learning about health disparities science, effective policies and practices. Dr. Kennedy, who left Liberia on Friday, August 8, is expected to return to the Country in the mid-September, New Dawn reports.