The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2014

Today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies highlights the several measures adopted by leaders of the Mano River Union in combating the deadly Ebola virus  in the region and Vice President Joseph Boakai’s trip to Washington for the U.S.-Africa Summit.

DOMINANT STORIES

MRU Takes Measures Against Ebola

In the wake of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in three of four member States of the Mano River Union (MRU), leaders of the sub-regional organization have committed themselves to taking stringent measures aimed at eradicating the deadly disease that has already claimed the lives of over 700 persons. According to an Executive Mansion release, at an extraordinary summit of Heads of State and Government of the MRU held in the Guinean capital, Conakry on Friday, August 1,  the leaders agreed in a Joint Declaration, to among other things, impose a cross border isolation zone at the epicenter of the outbreak of the disease. “We have agreed to take important and extraordinary actions at the inter country level to focus on cross-border regions that have more than 70 percent of the epidemic,” said Ambassador Dr. Kaba Hadja Saran Daraba, Secretary General of the MRU, who read the Joint Declaration, New Democratreports.

Related Captions: MRU Launches US$100M Plan For Fight Ebola (IN PROFILE DAILY), MRU Leaders Agree on Measures to Fight Ebola(Heritage), MRU Leaders Adopt Several Measures(The Inquirer), Mano River Basin Moves on Ebola Leaders Reach Tough Measures, Rally Support(The Analyst), MRULeaders Agree to Fight Ebola (FOCUS), MRU Leaders Meet On Ebola (New Democrat), We Can Defeat Ebola (New Dawn)

VP Boakai Off To summit

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has left the country to join African Heads of State at the first U.S. Africa Leaders Summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama. He will be representing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who days before the Summit announced that she would remain at home to oversee efforts to contain the deadly Ebola disease that is spreading in Liberia and has killed over 100 Liberians, New Democrat reveals.

Related Captions: VP Boakai in Washington D.C. for Historic U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit(Heritage), Boakai Heads Delegation(In Profile Daily), VP Boakai Departs for Washington, D.C.(FOCUS), US-Africa Summit Opens Today on Washington(Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

GoL, EU Sign US5.5M Pact

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will today, Monday August 4, jointly sign a contribution agreement of over US$5million dollars with the European Union (EU). The Agreement targets decentralization, which is central to governance reforms, peace building and reconciliation, as well as poverty reduction programs in Liberia. The contribution from the EU forms part of a USD$27million dollars five-year for the Liberia Decentralization Support   Programme (LDSP), funded by the European Union (EU), UNDP, Government of Liberia and the Swedish International Agency (SIDA). The LDSP supports the implementation of the decentralization policy in Liberia in promoting participatory local governance, strengthened sustainable political harmony, inclusive socio-economic growth and rights-based and gender responsive development. During the signing ceremony, which takes place at the Ministry of Internal Affairs at 2:00 pm, the Minister of Internal Affairs Morris Dukuly will sign on behalf of the Government of Liberia, while EU Ambassador Attilio Pacifici will sign the agreement on behalf of his Institution, New Dawn reports.

China Reaffirms Stronger Tie With Liberia

According to the Heritage newspaper, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) through its Defense Attache to Liberia says China remains committed to a stronger friendly tie with the Republic of Liberia. Speaking recently at the reception in observance of the 87^thanniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army, Senor Colonal Zhao Xizhang said China attaches great importance to the friendly cooperative relationship with Liberia.

BIN Commissioners Tour Liberia-Sierra Leone Border

The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization has commenced inspection at various borders linking Liberia to Sierra Leone and Guinea. The BIN headed by its Commissioner, Cllr. Lemuel Reeves, Friday, August 1, led an array of top BIN officers to inspect the Bo Waterside. Cllr. Reeves said their tour was in accordance with the mandate from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf instructing the BIN to ensure that all borders that are opened are properly monitored, reports the Daily Observer.

MRU Civil Society Launches…Nat’l Resource Rights

According to the News Newspaper, Civil Society engaged in national resource and land right advocacy in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire have launched the national resource rights and governance platform in Monrovia. The launch of the platform is
geared towards institutional building through the undertaking of strategic and evidence based researches, expanding local, national and regional awareness advocacy campaigns and to ensure that governments and companies protect, respect and remedy violations of human rights.

NIC, Liberty Finance Sign Financial Agreement

The Daily Observer pens that as part of its effort to promote Liberia’s investment opportunities, the National Investment Commission (NIC), has entered into an agreement with Liberty Finance institution. The Agreement called for provision of financial opportunities to medium and small investors across the country. In a chat with journalists recently at his Mamba Point office in Monrovia, NIC Chairman Micheal S. Wotorson said his entity wants to place a
great deal of focus on Liberian Institutions and business.

LCC Declare 3-day Stay-Home Prayer Fast & Prayer From August 6 to August 8

The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) is leading a spiritual crusade against Ebola which has invaded the country announcing a 3-day fast and prayer commencing August 6. According to the LCC, the fast and prayer is called Stay-Home because Prayer Worrier will not congregate in a particular place but will remain at home in compliance with Government regulations restricting assemblage of people for fear of Ebola spread.

Burn All Bodies -Govt. Gets Tougher On Ebola

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has urged the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies to consider the cremation of all bodies infected by Ebola. This, she said, is intended to avoid the tampering of dead bodies and contaminating water sources. The President also announced the immediate closure of all schools with no exception until further directives can be announced by the Ministry of Education.  She has also cancelled her trip to the Africa/U.S. Summit, noting that the Vice President and a few Cabinet Ministers whose presence are absolutely necessary will attend the ensuing Leadership Summit, INSIGHT reveals.

“No Equipment For Cremation”…Health Ministry

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare says there is no chemical or equipment in Liberia for the cremation of Ebola victims. Speaking at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing in Monrovia, Assistant Health Minister for Preventive Services, Tolbert Nyenswah said the issue of cremation is not the culture and practice of the people of Liberia and therefore it was not possible to be carried out in Liberia. Meanwhile the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said it would require US$21,430,990 million to fully implement the Ebola fight. Minister Nyenswah said of the total amount, the Ministry has received the total of US$6,185,830 million in pledges from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Liberia and other partners, The NEWS.

EU Provides €2M To Fight Ebola Outbreak

The European Commission (EU) Liberia office last weekend announced an allocation of additional €2 million to respond to the worst Ebola outbreak ever recorded in human history. According to a statement issued Wednesday by the EU office in Liberia, the amount brings the Commission's aid to fight the Ebola epidemic in West Africa to €3.9 million. "The level of contamination on the ground remains extremely worrying and we need to scale up our action before many more lives are lost," said Kristalina Georgieva, the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. The EU itself has deployed experts to the affected countries to help assess the situation and coordinate with the authorities,  Daily Observerreports.

Wearing Gloves Is Dangerous -MOH Warns

The Senior Mental Health Program Officer at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has cautioned the public that wearing of gloves is most dangerous in the current Ebola fight than going with bare hands. Madam Barbara Hina said people wearing gloves are not preventing themselves but instead causing more harms, stressing that gloves are more sensitive to virus than bare hands. She made the observation last week at a training workshop organized by the Carter Center in collaboration with the Press Union of Liberia held on the compound of St. Theresa Convent in Monrovia.  Also speaking on Truth FM 96.1, Deputy Health Minister for Preventive Services Tolbert Nyenswah said people wearing gloves often answer phone calls, touch their bodies, use the bath room and shake hands with others without washing their hands with soap and water, warning that in doing so, the Ebola virus can easily be transmitted to other people, the New Dawn writes.

500 Police For Lofa

Five hundred personnel of the Liberia National Police (LNP) will soon be deployed to Lofa County which with Montserrado County are yet the most affected counties, it was disclosed last week. The deployment comes in the wake of confrontation between residents of Foya and some health workers following the burial of an Ebola victim in Foya District, according to the New Democrat writes.

Ebola Vaccine Could Be Available… --Scientists Cry For Funding

Scientists in the United States have revealed that the first Ebola vaccine could be available in two to six years, but warned that funding problem could undermine very important clinical tests. They say four new drugs are in the developmental stages in labs across the U.S. with trials involving monkeys yielding positive results. However, scientists indicated that it is too early for people to be cited about the development. Researchers warned that if funding is not available it could threaten and undermine the process. Dr Thomas Geisbert of the University of Texas disclosed that he believes a vaccine will be approved in the next two to six years. The latest Ebola outbreak sweeping through West Africa is the worst on record since the disease was discovered in Zaire in 1976. Dr.  Geisbert, whose lab is working on some of the drugs, said: 'There are at least four vaccines that can protect against Ebola (in monkeys). The Ebola virus that has left West Africa berserk is the worst recorded, since the disease was discovered four decades ago (in 1976). So far, more than 670 people have died, while another 1,200 have been infected, the NEWS writes.

 ‘Vaccine’ To Cure Ebola Developed – Vaccines Trial In September; Available To Africa 2015

Reports this paper culled from United States news wires speak of the successful development of a vaccine with 95-99% clinical potential to cure the Ebola virus which is terribly upsetting the three Mano river Union countries, namely Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.  The report quoted Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases U.S National Institutes of Health, as saying that the US has been developing an Ebola vaccine for several years that has had “encouraging results” in primates, says as the New Republic reports.

Western Cluster Donates Materials To Bomi To Prevent Ebola

As part of the fight against the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia, Western Cluster Limited (WCL) on Friday donated a consignment of sanitary materials –chloride (bleach) and hand washing buckets to the people of Bomi County, one of the two counties in Western Liberia where the company operates iron ore concessions. Bomi is also among counties where the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare recently reported confirmed cases of the virus which resulted into deaths of some citizens including the county’s main hospital’s Chief Administrator, New Dawn reports. 

Related Caption: Western Cluster Donates Materials to Bomi to Prevent Ebola(The Inquirer)

Pres. Sirleaf Tours Health Facilities-Encourages Health Workers to Return to Work

The Analyst newspaper writes that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Saturday, August 2 participated in a technical meeting of the National Task Force on Ebola at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. According to the daily, President Johnson Sirleaf later toured health facilities to encourage health workers and medical personnel to return to work in order to provide health care services to the Liberian population in dire need of medical care. Among health facilities visited were the Benson Hospital, St. Joseph Catholic Hospital, the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and the Redemption Hospital.

Liberian Doctor Survives Ebola

Dr. Melvin Korkor, the first Liberian doctor from the Phebe Hospital in the Central Liberian town of Gbarnga, Bong County to have been tested positive of the deadly Ebola virus has survived. Dr. Korkor was confirmed positive about two weeks ago and transferred to Monrovia along with four nurses three of whom died in days upon arrival in Monrovia. The news of his survival came just at the time the death of one of the country's most senior doctors, Samuel Brisbane was being announced. Dr. Brisbane a former Chief Medical officer of the American run Firestone Rubber Plantation Hospital died in weeks after being tested positive of the Ebola virus, which he contracted at the State run John F. Kennedy Medical Center. He is the first Liberian doctor to have died from the virus following the death of the Ugandan Doctor at the latter part of June. Most of the death in the medical field had been nurses and other health workers. Ebola kills 90% of its victims, New Dawn reveals.