THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014

Cuban Medical Doctors To Arrive In Liberia Wednesday

The Inquirernewspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that a Cuban Medical Team arrives in Liberia on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 to join the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus. The 52 man medical team includes doctors and nurses. The medical team includes Epidemiologists, Intensive Care Doctors, General Practitioners, and Surgeons. Others are Pediatricians, Intensive Care Nurses, Anesthetist and Licensed Nurses.  The disclosure about the medical team; arrival was made on Monday by the Cuban Ambassador accredited to Liberia H.E. Jorge Fernando Lefebre Nicolas  when he  paid a courtesy  call on the Liberian  Foreign Minister  Augustine   Kpehe Ngafuan  at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador   Jorge Fernando Lefebre Nicolas  said the arrival into the Country of the Cuban Medical Experts  signifies his government's strong  solidarity with Liberia  and is   geared also towards enhancing  the existing ties between both countries while acknowledging that it is the  beginning of cementing cooperation with Liberia especially in the  in the medical field. The Cuban doctors are expected   to be assigned to the newly constructed ETU at the unfinished Defense Ministry facility in Congo Town.  The Cuban Ambassador furthered disclosed that discussions are ongoing with Latin American Countries to respond to the Ebola Fight. In response, Liberia's Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan expressed delight over the coming of the Cuban medical Doctors to join the fight against the deadly virus.  Foreign Minister Ngafuan  is hoping the Cuban doctors will not only be here to fight Ebola but also help in strengthening the  health sector as it relates to training and deployment of personnel to assist in critical areas of need in  Liberia’s health sector. He noted that the initiative to send the doctors is the beginning of the solidification of Liberia's relationship with Cuba, at the same time stressing that Cuba's diplomatic presence here could have a long term effect on the two countries' cooperation.  The Foreign Minister on behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Government and People of Liberia then extended profuse thanks and best wishes to the President, Government and People of Cuba for their assistance to Liberia as the country goes through this difficult health crisis.

 
Related Captions: Cuban Medical Doctors To Arrive In Liberia Wednesday(FrontPage Africa), More Cuban Doctors Arrive Today(The New Dawn),Cuban Medical Doctors To Arrive Today(INSIGHT), Cuban Medical Doctors To Arrive Today(The News)

“China Stands with Liberia”- Chinese President Xi Jinping

The FrontPage Africa reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping has stated emphatically that his country, the People’s Republic of China, “stands with Liberia in exerting every effort to defeat the deadly Ebola Virus”. President Xi Jinping made this statement when he received the newly appointed Liberian Ambassador to China, His Excellency Mr. Dudley McKinley Thomas. Ambassador Thomas presented his Letters of Credence to the Chinese President at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 15, 2014. President Xi Jinping assured Ambassador Thomas that he will receive the full cooperation of all of the various agencies and other authorities of the Chinese government in helping to ensure the success of his mission.  Earlier, Ambassador Thomas in presenting his Letters of Credence to the Chinese Leader   convey heartfelt thanks and appreciation of on behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Government and the People of Liberia to China for the solidarity demonstrated by the Chinese Government, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, in providing urgently needed assistance, in various forms, including direct financial assistance to the Government of Liberia, to combat the deadly Ebola virus which has claimed and is still claiming so many precious lives.  

Related Captions: China recommits support to Liberia(The New Dawn), “China Stands with Liberia”(The Inquirer), “China Stands with Liberia”- Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping(INSIGHT), China Stands with Liberia To Defeat Ebola… President Xi (The News),

Pres. Sirleaf Urges Long-Term Investment In Health Sector

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has observed that stopping Ebola is Liberia’s immediate priority, but the country needs long-term investment to build its health systems to “prevent outbreaks of this scale from ever happening again”.  She said it is “worrisome” that while all attention is on the Ebola virus, setting in is the malaria season and the routine immunization programs have been stopped. The Liberian leader’s concerns were contained in her article written to the Washington Post on Monday titled: the long-term cure for Ebola: An investment in health system, FOCUS reports.

Related Captions: The Long-term Cure For Ebola: An Investment In Health Systems(INSIGHT), Ellen On Long-Term Investment…In Health Sector(The NEWS)

FSI Gives Ebola Materials In Bomi

The Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute continued its efforts in kicking Ebola out of Liberia through a huge donation of assorted Ebola items to the Bomi County Ebola Treatment Unit. On Friday, October 17, 2014, a high power student delegation of the Foreign Service Institute accompanied by the administration of the institute headed by its Director General, Dr. Augustine Konneh took items including beddings, mineral water, used clothes, mattresses, slippers and other items for people infected with the deadly Ebola virus at the Bomi County Ebola Treatment Unit. Receiving the items, the County Health Administrator, Dr. Davison O. Rogers thanked students and the administration of the Foreign Service Institute for their donation,FOCUS reports.

Related Captions: Foreign Service Institute donates Ebola Materials To Bomi ETU(The New Republic),Foreign Service Institute donates Ebola Materials To Bomi ETU(INSIGHT)

OTHER STORIES

Enhancing Partnership, Liberia Welcomes New U.S. Commander

Liberia’s Defense Minister, Brownie J. Samukai, says the soldiers and sailors of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) remain supportive of the U.S.-led effort in the united fight against the Ebola virus. Welcoming the incoming commander of the U.S.-led Joint Task Force Operation United Assistance, Major General Gary J. Volesky, in his office at the Barclay Training Center (BTC) Tuesday, the Minister expressed the AFL’s preparedness to discharge its assigned humanitarian mission under the scheme of “Operation United Assistance”, as a ‘Force for Good’.
Major General Volesky replaces Major General Darryl Williams who served in a pioneering position as the first Commander of the U.S. Military in Liberia for a period of five weeks. Major General Williams, in remarks, expressed gratitude to the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff of the AFL for the friendship and excellent leadership qualities exhibited during his tenure, which sets the condition for onward operations of the U.S. military, FrontPage Africa newspaper reports.

Related Caption: U.S. Military, AFL Partnering To Fight Ebola…New Commander Arrives(The Inquirer)

U.S. Orders Restrictions Additional Protective Measures To Prevent The Spread of Ebola To The United States Goes Into Effect

As part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s ongoing response to prevent the spread of Ebola to the United States, it has been announced that travel restrictions in the form of additional screening and protective measures at our ports of entry for travellers from the three West African Ebola-affected countries. These new measures will go into effect Wednesday. In a statement Tuesday, on Travel Restrictions and Protective Measures to Prevent the Spread of Ebola to the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said passengers flying into one of these airports from flights originating in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will now be subject to secondary screening and added protocols, including having their temperature taken, before they can be admitted into the United States.  “These airports account for about 94 percent of travellers flying to the United States from these countries. At present there are no direct, non-stop commercial flights from Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea to any airport in the United States”, writes the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: US Stops Free Ride For Passengers(The New Republic)

Oxfam To Triple Ebola Prevention Programs In Liberia, Sierra Leone

According to the New Dawn newspaper, international humanitarian agency, Oxfam is planning to spend US$19.3 million to triple its Ebola prevention programs in Liberia and Sierra Leone focusing more of its work on reducing transmission rates of the infectious disease. Oxfam Humanitarian Director, Jane Cocking said efforts needed to be undertaken to break the chain of infection by equipping people with the means to protect themselves from contracting the disease.

Gbarpolu Fire Victims Get Red Cross Succor

The Gbarpolu County Chapter of the Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) has provided building materials and other items to a family of six whose home was razed by fire two weeks ago in Dorleyla, Bopolu District. Items presented by the Red Cross included 60 sheets of zinc, eight sleeping mats, 12 pieces of bath soap, 12 lappas, four mosquito nets, four buckets, 50 packets of nails and assorted kitchen utensils. LNRCS Health Officer, Gantei Jeh, who presented the items at the weekend to the head of the family, Madam Veronica Dorley, said the materials were the Red Cross’ way of identifying with her family during their time of need, the NEWS newspaper reports.

Pres. Sirleaf Visits Ebola Epicenter

The county that reported the first outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus disease, Lofa County in northwestern Liberia, has reported a drastic decline in the transmission of the virus with “no new cases” reported for the past three weeks. According to an Executive Mansion release, the head of the Medicins San frontiers (MSF)-run Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Foya, Dr. Serge St. Louis briefing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, indicated that Lofa County could soon be declared an Ebola free county if the pace at which the transmission has broken continues, INSIGHT reports.

LINA, MAP Sign Partnership Accord

The Liberia News Agency (LINA) and the Moroccan News Agency (MAP) have signed a cooperation agreement to exchange journalism, technical and documentation expertise. The two news agencies agreed to exchange their news, photo service and other products with no subscription fees charged to the user party. Mr. Jay Nagbe, Project Manager of LINA and Mr. Khilil Hachimi Idissi, Director General of MAP signed the agreement on October 14 on the sidelines of the first Forum of Atlantic and sub-Saharan African news agencies, organized by MAP in Casablanca, the NEWS reports.

Ebola Could Lead To ‘Unrest’ … In West Africa, UN

The U.N. Security Council has accentuated the destabilizing potential of the Ebola disease in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The Council highlighted the risk of Ebola undermining these countries’ stability and possibly leading to further unrest and a deterioration of the political and security climate. On 18 September, the Council said it held an open debate on the epidemic and adopted resolution 2177 determining that the Ebola epidemic constituted a threat to international peace and security (S/PV.7268). On 9 September, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Liberia, Karin Landgren, warned Council Members that the epidemic posed the gravest threat to the country since its civil war, the NEWS reports.

Bong Closes 18 Crossing Points To Gbarpolu County

Bong County Superintendent Selena Polson Mappy has ordered the immediate closure of all 18 crossing points in Gbonoeta and Piata Towns, Bong County to avert entry of the Ebola virus from neighboring Bgarpolu County. According to the Liberia News Agency, the superintendent also ordered the removal of all canoes at those crossing points on the St. Paul river to prevent people from using them to enter Bong County. Gbonoeta connects Bong with Kologbandai, Tangaira and Gbapolu Town, while Piata and other towns along the St. Paul River also connect the county with Gbarpolyu County through several crossing points. Speaking at two separate meetings in Gbonoeta and Piata towns Monday, Mappy said her decision is predicated on the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in Gbarpolu County, adding that such is a proactive measure to safeguard the citizens and people of Bong County, the NEWS reports.