The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2014

Among today’s dominant stories from our selected local dailies are news of the arrival of a high level Cuban medical delegation to assist in the fight to control the Ebola virus, the visit of a United Nations Development Programme regional delegation to the most affected Ebola countries and President Johnson Sirleaf’s letter to the Liberian Senate seeking permission to invoke restrictions on certain rights under the Liberian Constitution.

DOMINANT STORIES

Cuba’s Advance Team Arrives

According to the New Dawn newspaper, a high level Cuban medical delegation comprising mainly of medical doctors, financial and logistical officers have arrived in Liberia as an advance team of the Cuban medical brigade coming to assist in the fight to control the Ebola virus that is ravaging the West African region. A Foreign Ministry release says the advanced Cuban medical professionals, who arrived here on Saturday, October 4, 2014 is headed by Dr. Juan Carlos Dupuy Nunez. Other members of the delegation include Dr. Pablo Miguel, Raventon Vaguer, Mr. Andres Marrero Escobar, and Rolando Vergara Zito, constituting medical doctors, financial and logistical officers. The delegation paid a courtesy call on Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, on Monday, 6 September in Monrovia.

Related Captions: Cuba’s Advance-Medical Team Arrives, Hailed As ‘Medical Diplomats’(The New Republic), Cuba’s Medical Brigade’ In Town(The News), Cuba’s Advance - Medical Team Arrives – Hailed As ‘Medical Diplomats’(The Analyst), Cuba’s Advance  - Medical Team Arrives(The Inquirer), Cuba’s Advance – Medical Team Arrives, Hailed As ‘Medical Diplomats’(Heritage) ‘Medical Diplomats’: Cuba's Advance Team Arrive In Liberia (Frontpage Africa),  Cuba's Advance-Medical Team Arrives (INSIGHT), Cuba’s Advance – Medical Team Arrives(In Profile)

UNDP Regional Delegation Visits Liberia

Ebola health crisis that has claimed thousands of lives must not be allowed to become a crippling socio-economic crisis as well, said a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) official, beginning a 10-day visit to the most affected countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The delegation’s visit to Liberia runs from the 11th -14th October 2014.  The trip will include site visits to Ebola treatment centers and UNDP project sites as well as meetings with Government authorities and other agencies and institutions involved in halting the spread of the disease. Martínez-Solimán, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support is traveling with Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, the Deputy Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa.  UNDP is also working with partners at the highest level to negotiate humanitarian access and mobilize attention and resources around the crisis, writes the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: UN Development Officials Call For Urgent Action On Ebola As They Prepare To Visit Ebola Affected Countries(FrontPage Africa), UN Development Officials Call For Urgent Action On Ebola … To Visit Ebola Affected Countries(The Inquirer), UN Officials Call For Urgent Action On Ebola(In Profile Daily)

Ellen Seeks Restrictions On Certain Rights

The New Dawnreports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has written the Liberian Senate seeking permission to invoke restrictions on certain rights under the Liberian Constitution under the state of emergency as the country continues its fight against the Ebola virus disease. The President's two-page communication addressed to the Senate, subsequently read in its  Plenary Tuesday seeks to among others restricts certain religious practices that have the propensity of further spreading the Ebola virus during this national State of Emergency and a national health crisis. The request, if granted by the Senate, would lead to the close monitoring of certain religious practices in the country by the government, while legal penalties will be served on violators if they do contravene the norms that will be prescribed by the president. The communication further seeks to restrict certain freedoms of speech, including in print, electronic alerts and verbal, that has the tune to undermine the statutory power of the state of emergency and that of the issue of assembly.

Related Captions: Ellen Restricts Civil Rights(New Democrat), Ellen Requests Suspension Of Certain Rights (The News)

AU Stresses Coordination In Ebola Fight

The African Union (AU) through its Commissioner for Social Affairs has called for coordination in the ongoing fight against the Ebola disease in West Africa.  A Foreign Ministry press release says Dr. Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko made the call during separate high level discussions he and his team held with several national and multinational stakeholders in Liberia, including President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia’s Acting Foreign Minister, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the Ministers of Internal Affairs and Gender and Development, respectively over the weekend.  Dr. Kaloko, who heads a four-man AU delegation to Liberia, says his visit is part of response from the African Union in addressing the Ebola crisis as a follow-up to the meeting of Foreign Ministers held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in September which gave birth to the AU Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA). The AU Commissioner told journalists during a press conference held at the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia over the weekend that he had come to emphasize the need for coordination in the midst of several resources pouring towards the direction of the Ebola fight in West Africa, writes the New Dawn.

Related Captions: AU Stresses Coordination In Ebola Fight(The News), AU Stresses Coordination In Ebola Fight, Discusses With Stakeholder(Heritage), AU Wants More Staff To ‘Break The Cycle Of Ebola’(Focus)

 Doctor Outlines Food to Build Immune System

The Inquirernewspaper reports that Dr. Billy C. Johnson, one of Liberia’s foremost medical practitioners has been giving an outline of food specimen that can help boost ones’ immune system. Dr. Johnson told journalists on Tuesday at the regular Ebola news conference held at the Ministry of Information that as Liberia continues to fight the deadly Ebola virus, it is prudent that they eat food that will help boost their immune system and strengthen their body tissues. He said people should eat more foods with high soluble fiber from oats, oat bran, barly, beans (Kidney beans, black bean and chickpeas); apples, strawberries, oranges and vegetables like okra, broccoli, Brussels Sprout, carrots, Quinoa, green beans and  cactus.

Related Captions: Fufu Dangerous to Your  Health-JFK Chief Doctor Warns(In Profile daily), More Protein & Fiber Food Helps In Fight Against –JFK’s Chief Medic; Warn Against Excessive Fufu(The Analyst), Drinking, Smoking Weaken Body Against Ebola…Top Medical Expert Warns Liberians(Heritage)

Pres. Sirleaf Accepts Resignation Of Justice Minister

The New Republicnewspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has accepted the resignation of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Cllr. Christiana Tah. According to an Executive Mansion release, Cllr. Tah tendered in her resignation on Monday, October 6, at a meeting with the Liberian President at her Foreign Ministry office on Capitol Hill.

Related Captions: Ellen Accepts Justice Minister’s Resignation(New Dawn), Ellen Accepts Resignation Of Former Justice Minister(Heritage)

Dr. Allen Presents Credentials to UNESCO

The New Dawnnewspaper writes that Liberia's Ambassador to France, Dr. C. William Allen, has presented his Credentials to the Director General of UNESCO, accrediting him as Liberia's Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to that body. UNESCO Director General, Mrs. Irina Bokova, welcomed Dr. Allen and expressed her concern about the dire Ebola situation Liberia is confronting. Madam Bokova committed herself to the national development of Liberia through the five regional offices in Africa and the flagships programs which UNESCO's African Department is developing. She also said that the United Nations is taking the Ebola virus seriously and that recently in Equatorial Guinea during the Prize Ceremony for Life Sciences, a special commemoration was organized for the three most affected countries-- Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Related Captions: Liberia’s Ambassador Presents Credentials(The News), Amb. Allen Presents Credentials UNESCO(FOCUS)

OTHER STORY

Africare Donates Medical Supplies

The New Dawnreports that Africare Liberia has presented fifty thousand United States Dollar- worth of medical supplies to the two biggest hospitals in Bong County. Presenting the materials to the Phebe and C.B Dumber Hospitals last weekend, Africare Country Director Ernest Gaie said the intervention of his institution was intended to capacitate the hospitals during this Ebola crisis in the country. The Africare Liberia Country Director extended gratitude to Direct Relief in the United States of America for making the supplies available to his entity. He said Direct Relief air-lifted the supplies, spending about half a million United States Dollars. Mr. Gaie said there were plans to extend similar donation to other health facilities in the county.