THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2014

News of Vice President Joseph Boakai’s optimism that predictions from the international community that West Africa could report more than a Million affected people with Ebola within the next six months will not come to reality and the resignation of Liberia’s Attorney General and Justice Minister, Counselor Christiana Tah are stories dominating our summary of the local dailies for today.

DOMINANT STORIES

VP Boakai On CDC Ebola Projections - 'Things Are Improving'

Vice President Joseph Boakai says he's optimistic that predictions from the international community that West Africa could report more than a Million affected people with Ebola within the next six months will not come to reality. Speaking to reporters at the Freeport of Monrovia where he had gone to receive a consignment of assorted medical supplies, food and non-food items, the Liberian Vice President called on Liberians to work to ensure that such prediction is not achievable. On Monday VP Boakai received three forty foot containers of assorted items value over one Million United States dollars donated by the international charity "His Church" based in Lincolnshire, the United Kingdom. The Vice President said, one of the containers is filled with medical supplies that has been turned over to the Ebola Task Force while the other two forty foot containers containing food and non-food items will be used by the Vice President to assist indigent communities throughout the country, reports FrontPage Africa.

Related Captions: Boakai Donates To Ebola Task Force (In Profile Daily), Veep Boakai Receives US$1.4M Ebola Donation(The News)

Justice Minister Christiana Tah Resigns

The Daily Observer reports that the Attorney General and Justice Minister of Liberia, Counselor Christiana Tah, yesterday, October 6, 2014, tendered her resignation.  Addressing a press conference at the Justice Ministry yesterday afternoon, Counselor Tah said she could not be a Justice Minister under a government that had no confidence in her to investigate allegations of fraud against the National Security Agency (NSA). Minister Tah also made reference to a statement made by Information Minister Lewis Brown, following her suspension by the Supreme Court of Liberia for six months for contempt of court. During that period, she was forbidden to practice law in Liberia.  Minister Browne described her suspension as a “classic example of judicial independence.”  Justice Minister Tah considered that statement a betrayal of trust and confidence which her government had in her. Delivering her resignation statement, Minister Tah was accompanied by Police Director Chris Massaquoi; Harriette Badio, Assistant Minister of Justice for Economic Affairs; and Joyce Frankfort, Coordinator, Program Manager, Justice & Security Joint Program.

Related Captions: Tah Takes Her Bow (FrontPage Africa), Justice Minister quits (New Dawn), JusticeMinister Quits In Open (The New Republic), Justice Minister Quits (New Democrat), Justice Minister Quits (The Inquirer), Justice Minister Resigns (The News), Justice Minister Explains why She resigned (The Heritage), Justice Minister Resigns, President Sirleaf Accepts (The Analyst),Justice Minister Tah Quits Government (In Profile Daily), Cllr. Tah Backs Out-Cites Lack of Trust, Collaboration(INSIGHT), Why Justice Minister Resigned(FOCUS)

OTHER STORIES

Ebola Calls Have Reduced Drastically-Rep. Saah Joseph Says Ambulances Now Park For Hours

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, Montserrado County Representative Saah Joseph says he and his team are not receiving much calls on Ebola related matter since last week. Speaking Monday Rep. Joseph said they received about four calls Monday; something he said makes him happy.  “The Ambulances are packed for four hours now today and my people are relaxed and are happy because before we were not resting, and so if we are not pressed with calls it’s something to be happy about,” Rep. Saah Joseph said. Rep. Joseph said the news is good but urged Liberians and others within the borders of Liberia to still take their preventive measures to stay safe from the Ebola Virus Disease.

WHO Official Optimistic About War Against Ebola

The Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Peter Graft said with a lot being done defeating the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) could take a couple of weeks or a month. Dr. Graft said the 1.4 million infection issues as was put forward by the WHO was a projection which could happen if nothing is done to curb the spread of the EVD. However, he said the 1.4 million infection issue cannot be a reality because a lot of thing are being done such as the erection of more Ebola Treatment Units (ETU), training people in clinical and hygienic procedures, contact tracing among other work that are in progress. Dr. Graft speaking yesterday during the daily Ebola Press briefing held at the Ministry of Information said what needs to come into place now is the speeding up of material, other logistics and more equipment to work with in the fight against Ebola, inks the Inquirer newspaper.

Equip-Liberia Donates Ambulance To Nimba

A non-governmental organization, Equip-Liberia, has donated an ambulance to the Nimba County Health Team. Equip-Liberia county project manager, Joseph Kilikpo, said the ambulance is intended to augment the strength of the county health team in combating the Ebola virus disease. He said the vehicle is being loaned to the county health team to boost the Ebola fight in Nimba. Meanwhile, the Medical Director at the G.W. Harley Memorial Hospital in Sanniquellie, Dr. Loree Cooper, has described the gesture as timely. Equip-Liberia has operated in Nimba County for 10 years now, helping to build local capacities, says the New Dawn newspaper.

MSF Provides Update on ELWA 3 Ebola Centre

The French charity Medecins Sans Frontiers or Doctors Without Borders continues to render assistance to the Government of Liberia in the fight against the deadly Ebola outbreak here. The Ebola outbreak, which started from neighboring Guinea early March, has passed serious challenge to the health sector of Liberia, taking away the lives of health care workers, nurses and Medical Doctors, including ordinary citizens.  MSF Emergency Coordinator Laurence Sailly, told a regular news briefing Monday at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Monrovia that the agency is a medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries across the world, adding that the main function is to provide relief after and during natural disasters such as flood or earthquake in any country. According to her, since MSF took over the Ebola Treatment Unit at ELWA 3, its staff has done lot of good work: “MSF has trained 400 community health volunteers to go door-to-door across Monrovia to share messages on how best to prevent Ebola and what to do if a person becomes sick” pens New Dawn newspaper.

Save The Children To Set Up Care Center

The Newsnewspaper reports that Save the Children International (SCI) will establish a community care center in Margibi County to increase caring facilities and treatment units for probable and suspected Ebola patients. Speaking to the Liberia News Agency Saturday, SCI Chief Executive Officer Caroline Miles said the facility will be monitored by trained medical practitioners who will also consider caring for pregnant women and children who are Ebola free.

SKD Logistics Hub Begins Operations

The logistics hub at the Samuel K. Doe (SKD) Sports Complex has begun the supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other materials to various Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) and health centers in the country. The head of Logistics management Information  Services (LMIS) at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Kpakama Kromah said a items distributed include surgical  gowns, hand gloves, nose  masks, Juices and other protective equipment for use by health care workers  in ETUs and other health facilities, writes the News.

UN Decorates Nigerian Contingent

The United Nations Mission in Liberia through the Special Representative of the Secretary General has decorated two contingents of the Nigerian Soldiers on mission here. Performing a ceremony recently at Star Based on Bushrod Island in Monrovia, SRSG Karin Landgren, said that the Nigerian Contingent serving with UNMIL has proved to be a strong and dedicated partner in Liberia’s development and made many contributions that have assisted tremendously in the betterment of the lives of the Liberian people. “Today marks an important event for the 1,398 members of the Nibatt 34 and 35, who are assigned responsibilities in Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Margibi and River Gee Counties, as well as in and around Monrovia. I would like to commend you for the escort duties and patrols, and for safeguarding critical government installations and UNMIL establishment,” Madam Landgren said, writes the New Dawn newspaper.

 Pres. Sirleaf Pats Rep. Joseph, Dr. Brown For Ebola Roles

The New Republicreports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has lauded the efforts of Montserrado County Representative Saah Joseph in the fight against the Ebola disease, describing him as “a hero” in the battle. The Liberian Leader also asked members of the National Legislature to join her in thanking the lawmaker for his service to humanity. The Chief Executive also acknowledged the selfless efforts of the Medical Director of the ELWA-II Ebola Treatment Center, Dr. Jerry Fahnloe Brown and his team as “a fine example of what Liberians are capable of doing.” She, likewise, requested the National Legislature to thank them.  According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf also extolled all healthcare workers involved in the fight for their sacrificial services to the nation. According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader made the assertion when she made remarks recently at the launch of Youth Action International (YAI) Coalition against Ebola in Monrovia.

CSOs Ebola Taskforce Opens Situation Room

The Civil Society Organization Ebola Response Taskforce has launched its national initiative which included the opening of a situation room in a bid to buttress government's efforts to combat the spread of the virus. The purpose of the CSO Ebola response taskforce situation room is to analyze the social, security and economic implications of the Ebola outbreak and also monitor the coordination mechanism of the government and its partners. The national initiative will also increase citizens' access to information through the situation room on the trend of the Ebola situation in the country and advocate effective measures taken to contain the virus and provide sufficient Personal Protective Equipment, facilities, benefit to the health workers and adequate treatment centers. Speaking during the launch of the Situation room yesterday at the Liberia Media Center where the situation room is located, Actionaid's County Director, Korto Williams noted that the opening of the situation room is the second approach taken by CSOs to help in the fight against the outbreak of the virus in the country, pens the Inquirer newspaper.

 FSI Donates To Ebola Fight

The In Profile Daily writes that the 2014 Class of the Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute (FSI) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commenced efforts aimed at enforcing Ebola prevention awareness and identifying with people affected by the deadly virus. According to an FSi release, on Saturday, October 4, an array of Diplomatic trainees accompanied by the Administration of the Institute headed by Professor, Dr. Augustine Konneh visited the John F. Kennedy Ebola Treatment Unit and identified with affected people with the virus through donation. The items donated include one dozen of used clothes bail, some Lucozade energy drink, some bottles of mineral water as well as some sanitary materials for both women and men.

No Media Coverage At Ebola Centers Unless - Health Ministry

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOH&SW) in collaboration with the Ministry of Information has imposed new media policy on how both local and international journalists should cover and report Ebola related stories from health care centers in the country, Announcing the media restriction at the regular press briefing at the Information Ministry on Monday, the Assistant Minister for Preventive Services who also heads the Ebola incident management, Tolbert G. Nyenswah, said the purpose of the policy is to protect the privacy of patients and health care workers and to protect the health and safety of both national and international journalists. He said the policy covers all interviews, written or audio-taped as well as videotape, recorded on the grounds of any health care facility or outside the facility’s perimeter that have been determined to be restricted. Assistant Minister Nyenswah also said no health care worker is allowed to give out information to either local or international journalists without a mandate from the head office, reports the Analyst newspaper.