THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014

News of the Incident Management System’s reports of decrease in the number of Ebola cases in the Country and the World Health Organization’s declaration that Nigeria is an Ebola free country are stories dominating today’s summary of the local dailies. 

DOMINANT STORIES

Less Than 400 Ebola Cases Nationwide as Ebola Declines, Says Dorbor Jallah--BUT the Public MUST Continue ALL Safety Measures

Restrictions on the movement of people, quarantining of communities and positive response to the frequent washing of hands and avoiding infested dead bodies have helped to reduce the infection rate of the Ebola virus throughout Liberia, according to Mr. James Dorbor Jallah, Deputy Incident Manager for Support Services at the Incident Management System. The Daily Observer quotes Dr. Jallah as saying that as the dry Season approaches in Liberia, intense heat and sunlight will contribute to Liberia’s effort to eradicate the disease. The Ebola Virus has been described as ‘fragile’ by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, and is easily destroyed by heat and sunlight. According to the Daily Observer, the Incident Management System, (IMS) is the body that has replaced the National Ebola Taskforce set up by the Liberian government earlier in the Ebola fight, headed by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.  According to Mr. Jallah, coordinated information reaching his office from the various Ebola Treatment Units, (ETUs), indicates that across the country, “there are less than 400 people who are in treatment”.  “Therefore,” Jallah said, “there are more than 300 ETUs that are empty, which means they are without people who are being treated for the virus”.

Related Captions:  Ebola Cases Dropping From 10 to 3 Daily (The Inquirer), Patients’ Intake Drops At ETUs(The News), EbolaCases ‘Subsiding’(INSIGHT), Ebola Deaths Drop? A Lot of Empty Beds, Fewer Pickups Now(FrontPage Africa)

Nigeria Declared Ebola Free

Nigeria has been declared officially free of Ebola after six weeks with no new cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. WHO Representative Rui Gama Vaz, speaking in the capital Abuja, said it was a “spectacular success story”. Nigeria won praise for its swift response after a Liberian diplomat brought the disease there in July, Focus reports.

Related Captions: Nigeria Declared Ebola-Free In ‘Spectacular Success’(New Democrat), Nigeria Declared Free of Virus(Daily Observer), Nigeria Declared Free of Ebola(The News), NigeriaDeclared Ebola-Free(Inquirer), Nigeria Declared Free of Virus(In Profile),Nigeria Declared Free of Ebola(The New Dawn), Nigeria Declared Ebola-Free, Holds Lessons For Others(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

Sweden, UK Donate US$30m To Ebola Fight

The Governments of Sweden and United Kingdom have committed a total of US$30 million as a regional support to the fight against the Ebola virus in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Sweden donated US$20 million, which will be channeled through the World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The UK’s 10 million dollars will be channeled through the international charity Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) and the Samaritan Purse International. Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan made the disclosure Thursday when he appeared before the House of Representatives to report on international assistance to Liberia in the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus, according to the Liberia News Agency. He lauded the international community for the level of support rendered Liberia so far, noting that with the commitment of the Government of Liberia and its partners; the Ebola virus will be kicked out of the country, the NEWS reports.

Africare Delivers US$180,000 Medical Supplies to 2 Hospitals in Bong

According to Daily Observer, Africare Liberia recently presented US$180,000 worth of medical supplies to Phebe and C.B. Dunbar maternity Hospitals for the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Phebe and C.B. Dunbar maternity Hospitals are the two biggest hospitals in Bong County. Africare Liberia Director Ernest Kromah Gaie, who made the presentation, said the entity’s intervention is aimed at buttress government efforts in restoring routine health services, which have been interrupted as a result of the Ebola epidemic.

Related Caption: Africare Delivers US$180,000 Medical Supplies to 2 Hospitals in Bong(INSIGHT)

“Ebola Will Become History” U.S. Ambassador Assures

US Ambassador, Deborah Malac has assured that the Ebola epidemic will become history just as other diseases of the past. Giving the assurance at Ministry of Information’s press briefing on Friday, the U.S. Ambassador acknowledged that every other outbreak has come and gone in history and that the U.S. Government with the support of international partners and the Liberian Government will eradicate Ebola as well, according to the Daily Observer.

EU Seeks $1.27 Billion In Ebola Aid For W. Africa

The European Union committed itself Monday to step up efforts toward getting 1 billion euros ($1.27 billion) in aid to fight Ebola in West Africa and rejected the idea of halting direct flights coming from the region. The EU Foreign Ministers set off a week of continent-wide action with a pledge “to play an active role in enhancing the international response” to Ebola, which so far has been late and insufficient to contain the deadly virus that has claimed at least 4,500 lives, reports New Democrat newspaper.

Related Caption: EU Seeks $1.27 Billion In Ebola Aid For W.Africa  (In Profile Daily)

UNDP Supports Contact Tracing in Communities, Population

The Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme in Liberia has urged Community dwellers to support efforts being made to increase contact tracing and identification in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus in the Country. Dr. Kamil Kamaluddeen said UNDP will continue to provide more support to the Government’s national response in Ebola affected Communities as it relates to Active Findings in Communities in Montserrado County. Dr. Kamaluddeen was speaking during an assessment of activities in District 7 by a team from UNDP Regional Bureau visiting Liberia to assess the Ebola situation. “This visit is important because UN wants to continue helping Liberia until the Ebola crisis is over” intimated the UNDP Country Director, writes the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: UNDP Supports Contact Tracing in Communities(The New Dawn)

 GCVMI/ICF Gives To Island Hospital – ETU

The Great Commission Victory Ministries Int’l, Inc., located at Lower Virginia outside Monrovia in partnership with International Children Fund (ICF), has donated several medical supplies to the Island Hospital Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU).  Items donated include patients’ gowns, nurses’ scrubs, pampers, blankets, crutches, bed sheets, assorted pharmaceuticals, among others. Making the presentation on behalf of the Pastor of the Great Commission Victory Ministry, Rev. Emmanuel Gyamfi, a youth of the ministry, Rufus Gyamfi said the initiative is to buttress government’s effort in improving ETUs across the country. Receiving the items on behalf of the Island Hospital ETU administration, the Medical Director Detah T. King lauded the gesture and promised to use the donated items for its intended purpose, FOCUS reports.

Ellen’s 4th Letter for Loan: US$144m Needed for Post-epidemic Development Agenda -Huge Debts Piling in the midst of Country’s Worst Nightmare

Amidst news of steady progress in the containment of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which has killed over 3,000 persons and imposed a severe strain on the economy, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has requested the ratification of a 4th Loan Agreement this time to the tone of US$144 million for “the country’s development agenda after the Ebola outbreak”. The Daily Observer writes that even though the President did not outline the development plans in her letter to House Speaker J. Alex Tyler, dated October 15, 2014 (reference index EJS/MOS/RL/606/2014), she stressed that her action is intended to mitigate the negative impact of the economic slowdown created by the epidemic. The financing agreement is tagged as the “Dollar Credit Line Agreement between the Government of Liberia and the Export-Import Bank of India”. According to the President’s letter, the money will be credited from the EXIM Bank in India and not more than US$1.75m is to be earmarked for preparation of feasibility studies for the project. The daily quotes President Sirleaf as saying “Mr. Speaker, I ask for ratification of this instrument for the fiscal space that is needed to continue our development agenda after the outbreak”.

Duncan’s Fiancee Ends Quarantine

For nearly 21 days, Louise Troh has had to endure tremendous fear, grief and isolation. When told of the death of her fiancée, Thomas Eric Duncan – the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States…she fell to the ground. The man giving her the news couldn’t even console her with a hug. But day 21 was Monday; the day the quarantine period came to an end for Troh, her son and two nephews, FOCUS reports.

Related Caption: Duncan’s Wife Cleared(In Profile Daily), Quarantine Ends For Ebola Patient’s Contacts(Inquirer)

Five Charged for Theft of Ebola Food Supplies Four are members of Nimba County Health Team

The Nimba Detachment of the Liberia National Police has charged County Health Workers for theft and criminal conspiracy in connection to the theft of about 200 bags of 25kg rice, 10 bags of beans and 15 containers of vegetable oil, intended for Ebola victims. According to the Daily Observer, on late Wednesday  October 1, the LNP Ganta Detail arrested a truck marked TP-766 with about 200 bags of 25kg rice, 15  five-gallon containers of vegetable and 10 bags of beans, bound for Saclepea from Sanniquellie. According to the police the items in question were donated to Nimba by the World Food Programme to cater to those quarantined in the county. Upon investigation, police arrested three other members of the County Health Team, including C. Paul Nyanzee, Community Health Supervisor; Var Bleh, warehouse security; and Sarah Lawehyee, as well as Kou Kouh, a business woman who was alleged to be the one to purchase the items. The five persons were charged on three counts including criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation and theft of property, by the Liberia National Police and sent to the court.

Commerce Ministry Seizes Large Quantities of Rice, Others On Market

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has seized unspecified quantities of rice and other basic commodities. The items were seized from "unscrupulous business entities" on the Liberian market "because they were involved in unwarranted price hiking”, an official from the Ministry said. The Director of Public Affairs, Mitchell Jones said the Ministry's inspection teams raided the commodities during the Ministry's regular inspection tour of business places. Mr. Jones noted that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has warned business houses in the country against unnecessary profiteering and arbitrarily increasing prices of essential goods and services on the Liberian market, writes the Daily Observer.

Third UN Employee Dies From Ebola

A UN staff in Sierra Leone has dies from Ebola, the third employees from the world organization to succumb to the deadly virus, the UN Spokesman said Monday. The Man who was a driver for the UN Women Agency, passed away at the week in Sierra Leone and his spouse is currently receiving treatment said Spokesman Stephane Dujarric. “All measures to protect staff at the duty station in Sierra Leone are being taken as best as possible under the current circumstances”, said Dujarric, In Profile Daily reports.

Confirmed: 7 AFL Soldiers Succumb To Ebola

Authorities at the Ministry of National Defense in Monrovia have confirmed the death of several soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia after they contacted the deadly Ebola Virus Disease. Assistant Defense Minister for Public Affairs David Dahn confirmed to The New Dawn via mobile phone late Monday that a memorial service was held last Friday for the fallen soldiers at the Barclay Training Center or BTC in Monrovia. Names of the soldiers were not provided, but sources at the Edward Binyan Kesselley Barracks along the Robertsfield highway say the barracks has become a “no go area” for visitors. The Chief of Staff and Commanding Officer of the AFL, David Zhankan, has instituted several new and stronger measures to combat the deadly virus.

Orphaned Children Gets US$20,000 Assistance From SCOL

About 174 children in the Country who had lost their parents due to the current Ebola Virus crisis plaguing the nation and its people have begun receiving critically needed assistance from an Advocacy Group called the Street Child of Liberia (SCOL). According to the Program Director of SCOL in Liberia, Mr. Michael John Bull, the organization’s assistance is their parts of initiatives gears towards helping these children buttress their living standards from being vulnerable in society, Inquirer reports.

PCI Conducts Workshop For Women

A one-day workshop aimed at educating young women about the deadly Ebola virus has ended in Salala, lower Bong County. The workshop, organized and facilitated by Project Committee International or PCI, was held recently at the Madam Tubman compound in Salala, bringing together 34 participants, all females. Speaking at the close of the workshop, Madam Winifred Saah of PCI, who is one of the health and nutrition coordinators, said the workshop was purposely held for women, noting that it is easier to transmit information thru them, particularly virus disease. She said based on request from the Bosh-Bosh Women of Salala, the workshop was organized to educate them on preventive tips against the Ebola virus. Madam Daniworllie said initially, most women doubted the existence of the virus, but with the help of educative workshops, they will learn more about the virus, writes New Dawn.

US, Commerce Hold Business Development Forum

The US Department of Defense and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MOCI) over the weekend held a business development forum and promised to buy locally to help boost the country’s economy that has been affected due to the Ebola epidemic. Speaking at the US Department of Defense in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Business Development forum held at a local hotel in Monrovia, the Deputy Commander General of US Army Africa, Peter Corey, said Liberia is like a home because he has travelled all around the country and has friends so it is a great pleasure and it touches his heart to help at this time where the country is a at an Ebola crisis, The Inquirer reports.

U.S. NGO Empowers Caldwell Ebola Task Force

As local and international efforts intensify in support of the fight against Ebola, which has taken thousands of lives in Liberia and the sub region, an American non-governmental organization, “More Than Me” has joined the fight. The NGO, which is involved in educating Liberian youths over the weekend presented several items, including motorbike, Infrared Digital Temperature Thermometer gun, and a dozen of mobile phones to the Caldwell Ebola Task Force. The presentation was made by the group on behalf of its founder, Katie Meyler, who also expressed interest in purchasing land here for the construction of a state of the art school complex, and a faculty boarding place in the township. Receiving the items, the acting Commissioner of Caldwell Township, Madam Hawa Johnson, praised the charity for its numerous contributions to the growth and development of Liberian youths through education, and expressed thanks and appreciation to  ‘More Than Me’ for providing rain gears, including boots and coats to the Caldwell Task Force, among others,writesthe New Dawn.

MOLAJ Donates To 6 Counties

As the Ebola fight intensifies across Liberia, the Movement for Labour Rights and Justice (MOLAJ) has provided hands washing buckets with detergents to 32 communities in six counties outside Monrovia. The release said the effort is an attempt to break the spread of the virus and eventually get rid of the EVD out of Liberia. The donation, which is put at a little over US$12,275.00 was carried out Margibi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Nimba, grand Cape Mount and Bomi counties, respectively. Project Advisor David D. Sackoh, told this paper that three thousand, nine hundred seventy-three persons, amounting to five hundred fifty-five family heads, including one hundred eighty-one public places benefited from the gesture, New Dawn reports.

Dumb And Deaf Receive Ebola Awareness Training In Buchanan

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, a one-day Ebola awareness training was conducted for the deaf and dumb in the corn farm church of Christ building over the weekend by the Buchanan school for the deaf. The training brought together more than 22 deaf and dumb men, women and children from around Buchanan city. The head of the Buchanan school for the deaf in Grand Bassa County, Mr. Jackson Willie said, he saw the need to conduct the training for the deaf in Buchanan, since dumb don’t hear or know what is been said on the radio and they don’t have access to information on the air waves because they are mute and they are not literate to read the newspaper to know what is ongoing in the country. He said there is need to train them so that they may get to know the harm of the virus and how they can prevent themselves from it. “We have to translate it in the sign they understand. This was done so that they can know what is happening in the county, and they can know what people are wishing their hands for in the street he noted”.