THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

Our lone dominant story is the health authorities’ latest analytical review of the Ebola virus disease in the country.

DOMINANT STORY

Males Mostly Infected - New Ebola Analysis Trend Reveals

As Liberia and the international community continue to fight the deadly Ebola virus, latest analytical review of the Ebola virus disease by health authorities in the country suggests that more males have now contracted the deadly disease compared to females who initially topped the list. Assistant Health Minister for curative and preventive services Tolbert Nyenswah told journalists Monday that the sudden twist in the infection per gender is being g medically investigated to establish why more males are being infected now than females, but so far 70% of the current Ebola infections are occurring in males while 30% occurs in females. Giving an analysis of the disease by age, Minister Nyenswah told reporters at the regular press briefing of the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Monday that ages between 25-34 years are highly affected by Ebola followed by females 35-44 years proceeded by ages 45-54 years, writes FrontPage Africa.

Related Caption:More Men Die Of Ebola(The New Republic), Males Dominate Ebola Toll (INSIGHT), Ebola Now Affects More Men Than Women (The Inquirer)

OTHER STORIES

WHO Welcomes Decision To Establish United Nations Mission For Ebola Emergency Response

The Insight Newspaper reports that nearly six months after the first case of Ebola in West Africa was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN General Assembly and the Security Council have approved resolutions creating the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) to contain the ongoing outbreak which has sickened more than 5,500 people and killed over 2,500. “This is not just a public health crisis. This is a social crisis, a humanitarian crisis, an economic crisis, and a threat to national security well beyond the outbreak zones,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General to the UN Security Council Thursday. “For these reasons, Mr. Secretary-General and I are calling for a UN-wide initiative that draws together all the assets of all relevant UN agencies. This is the first time in history that the United Nations has created a mission for a public health emergency. The Mission will bring together the vast resources of the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, to reinforce WHO’s technical expertise and experience in disease outbreaks. 

Save The Children Building ETU In Kakata

Save the Children International (SCI) has begun the construction of an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Kakata, Margibi County. The county is one of the hardest Ebola hit areas, recording over 120 deaths, including over 24 health workers, since the disease was first reported in March in Liberia. According to Save the Children International Field Operations Manager in Margibi County, Charles Sevee, the unit will accommodate 50 patients, Heritage reports.

MSF Distribute Ebola Hygiene Kits to Liberian Communities

Medical Humanitarian organization Medecin San Frontieres has begun issuing Ebola emergency kits to several communities around Monrovia. The medical group which has been at the front of the fight against the deadly Ebola virus has helped families with patients who do not have access to medical care due to the lack of space at various treatment units with these kits to help protect themselves against the disease while caring for their sick loved ones until medical isolation can be done. MSF said its health promotion teams, numbering over 400 people, have begun distributing the home hygiene kits across Monrovia. "These kits are designed to help those who have a sick family member care for them more safely until they can access medical care, or to help a family disinfect their home after someone has died, reports FrontPage Africa.

China Graduates 76 AFL Engineers In Bong

Seventy-six members of the First Engineering Battalion of the Armed Forces of Liberia Sunday, September 21, 2014 graduated following six months of training in Chinese equipment and plant. The training was conducted by Chinese military trainers as part of efforts by the Chinese government to build the capacity of the new Liberian Army. Speaking during the ceremony at the Camp Tubman Military Barracks in Gbarnga, Deputy AFL Chief of Staff Col. Eric Dennis said the graduation marks another milestone in the history and relationship between the government and peoples of Liberia and China, The Analyst reports.

U.S Government Provides Anti-Ebola Training For Police

A team from the Louisiana State University has arrived in the country to hold a three week intensive anti Ebola seminar for over five hundred officers of the Liberia National Police. The seminar which is ongoing at the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police is made possible through the States Department, of the US Government to train first respondents of the police to the Ebola crisis. The three man team is headed by Jason Krause Director of Operations National Center for Biomedical Research and Training based in the State of Louisiana, the United States of America. The team is specialized in Biological incidents, Food and Agriculture Incidents and Haznat.  Speaking at the opening of the Seminar the head of the Louisiana medical team Jason Krause, said the team is in the country to provide more practical training for selected officers of the Liberia National Police as they respond to the Ebola outbreak in the country. He concluded that the training was significant for the officers and will further put them in a more suitable condition not to contract and spread the disease, according to the Insight Newspaper.

Health Workers Warned

The Liberia Medical and Dental Council (LMDC) through its Director, Dr. John Mulbah, has warned medical practitioners treating patients in their homes and other places to desist with immediate effect. According to Dr. Mulbah, the increase in the number of health workers affected with the deadly Ebola virus is in most cases due to the treatment of patients at “unauthorized” health facilities, Heritage reports.

Ebola Kills Five Police Officers

Deputy Police Director for Administration, William K. Mulbah, has told a US medical team visiting Liberia that the deadly Ebola virus has killed five officers of the Liberia National Police, LNP. A police barrack on Camp Johnson Road, Monrovia was early this quarantined after an affiliate of one of the officers there was allegedly infected and subsequently spread the disease in the barrack. Dozens of officers in the barrack were being observed after it was discovered that a nurse, who had been visiting there died of Ebola. The LNP says it has been receiving supports from the US government since the outbreak of the diseases here, including PPEs, Chloride, chlorine, face mask, eye protection, respiratory protection, gloves and hand sanitizers, among others, New Dawn reports.

Bong to Shutdown Weekly Markets

The New Dawn Newspaper reports that the local authorities of Bong County have announced plans to shut down all weekly markets in the county. The acting clan chief of Kpatoilee Clan in Salala, Bong County, told reporters recently in the clan that the disclosure was made to him by the Salala District Commissioner. Clan Chief Samuel Kpaingba Gbelee said he has been informed by Commissioner Karmoh Kanneh that all Commissioners of Bong have met and decided to close down weekly markets as part of efforts to curb the spread of Ebola in the county. Chief Gbelee said his immediate boss has also confirmed the decision to close weekly markets.

House Ratifies Arm Treaty

According to the News Newspaper, the House of Representative has ratified the Arms Treaty Bill in compliance with the United Nations General Assembly. The Bill was submitted to the House for ratification by the Government of Liberia through the Office of the President in line with the UN General Assembly at a conference in 2013 which called on all of its members to ratify the Treaty. The Treaty is to prevent and eradicate illicit trade of small arms, the diversion of small arms to unlawful markets or unauthorized end users. The passage of the Bill followed a communication from the House’s Committee on Defense and Judiciary, calling on Plenary to ratify the Bill due to its significance to the survival of Liberia as a postwar country.