THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Today, Friday, September 12, 2014, the Bureau of Public Affairs subscribed to several dailies highlighting the news of Liberia’s Acting Finance Minister Amara Konneh’sdeliberation on the decline in the country’s economy, the United Nations expression of commitment to the Ebola fight in the country, in Bong County Save the Children turning over ceremony of a US$170,000 Ebola Treatment Unit and Firestone Liberia’s involvement in the healing process of Ebola patients among other stories.

DOMINANT STORIES

Economy On Verge Of Collapse-As Finance Minister Cites Recession 

Liberia’s economy for this year has taken a nose dive from a projected 5.9 percent growth to 2.5 percent since the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Finance Minister Amara Konneh has disclosed. “Our economy is taking a serious hit in this entire Ebola situation. As you can see for yourselves, this year we were projected to grow at 5.9 percent. Last year, we grew 7.8 percent, the year before last, 2012, we grow 8.9 percent. Now working with the IMF, the government has revised its growth projection to 2.5 percent. When you compare 2.5 percent to 5.9 percent, it is almost a 50 percent decline in projected economy growth. In economics that is called a “recession”. “So fellow Liberians our economy is in recession because of Ebola,” he said. Minister Konneh gave this staggering information when he addressed the issue of how some US$5 million has been expended toward the fight against Ebola.
According to Minister Konneh, it was about time officials of government get away from business as usual and cut down expenditures, INSIGHTwrites.

Related Captions: Recovery in jeopardy -Konneh speaks on Ebola’s bang on economy(New Dawn), Economy In Recession Says Finance Minister Because Of Ebola(The New Republic), Anyone Who Eats Ebola Money Will Go to Jail (Daily Observer), Ebola Blamed For ‘Crumbling’ Economy(FOCUS), Finance Wants Expenditures Cut-Announces Economic Recession-Promises Ebola Money Thieves Prosecution(The Analyst), Austerity Measures Primed to Allay Ebola Scorch-Acting Minister Konneh Asserts(Daily Observer), Austerity Measures Primed-Acting Min. Konneh says to allay Ebola Scorch(The Analyst), Gov’t Renews Warnings to Would-Be Ebola Rogues”...Releases Report on the Expenditure of U.S.$5m(The Inquirer), Economy In US$120M Deficit(New Democrat),Money Eaters In Hot Water: Liberia To Probe ‘Misapplied Ebola Funds(FrontPage Africa)

‘Fully Committed’: UN Envoy Assures Ebola Support To Liberia

The United Nations Under Secretary-General of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations says even though the Ebola epidemic is increasing in Liberia to an unprecedented proportion, the UN knows exactly what to do in helping to combat the virus, adding that the UN is actively supporting the World Health Organization in carrying out its work. Addressing a news conference Thursday at the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) headquarters in Monrovia Mr. Herve’ Ladsous told journalists that the UN is fully committed in helping to combat the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia and its neighboring countries that have been equally affected by the epidemic,  FrontPage Africa writes.

Related Captions: Ebola crisis poses threat to security Under Secretary-General Ladsous commits UN to not allow the risk to materialize(INSIGHT)

NGO Turns Over  Ebola Treatment Unit In Bong

Save the Children on Wednesday turned over  an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) it constructed at a cost of US$170,000 to the Government of Liberia. Turning the facility over in Suakoko, Bong County, Save the Children acting Country Director, Mrecy Gichuhi, said the project is the result of a request from the Gong County Health Team (CHT) for a treatment center following the outbreak of the disease in the county. Gichuhi said instead of the 20-bed facility the CHT requested, the center has a 50-bed capacity fully furnished and equipped wide a wide range of visibility and security fence, INSIGHTreports.

Related Captions: US$170,000 Ebola Treatment Unit Turned Over to Government in Bong(Daily Observer), Save The Children Turns Over 50-Beds Ebola Center in Bong(FrontPage Africa)

Firestone Medical Center Discharges Ebola Survivors   

The Firestone Medical Center in Duside discharged its first patient from the Ebola Treatment Unit on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014. The patient, Madam JennehFarsue, the wife of a Firestone Liberia employee, contracted the deadly Ebola virus in July/August. She was discharged following several weeks of intensive medical care at the Firestone Hospital and after testing negative of the virus. Five more persons were discharged and reintegrated from Isolation into the communities on the 9th of September. In addition to the hospital and Ebola Treatment Unit, Firestone Liberia also runs a reintegration program to help those returning to the community following isolation or treatment for Ebola. Speaking at the reintegration program for Mrs. Farsue in Division 28, Cubitts Community, Dr. Lyndon G. Mabande, the Medical Director of the Firestone Health Services, called on residents of the community to interact with Mrs. Farsue as they used to do and accept her back into the community because she is healthy. He described her recovery as “a true success story in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus,”, INSIGHTwrites.

Related Captions: Firestone Medical Center Discharges Ebola Survivors(The New Republic), Firestone Medical Center Discharges Ebola Survivors(The News), Firestone Medical Center Discharges 6 Ebola Survivors(DailyObserver)

Boakai Commends Health Workers- Sympathizes With Catholic Hospital

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has described as “courageous” health workers who are on the frontlines of the war against the deadly Ebola virus.  He praised them for their patience and resilience in handling the outbreak under enormous pressure in a country that has never experienced such a health challenge in its history. He said the health workers deserve to be commended for what they and our international partners are doing for the nation in these very challenging, demanding and difficult times. Vice President Boakai was speaking in Congo Town Thursday when he paid a visit to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to extend appreciation to the work of all health workers in the fight against the killer disease and to consult with Health authorities on the road map for the eradication of the virus that has claimed hundreds of lives in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone,  Daily Observer writes.

Related Caption:  Vice President Boakai Commends Health Workers(The Inquirer)

OTHER STORIES

Western Cluster Donates To Ebola Victims

Western Cluster Limited has donated 200 bags of rice and assorted food to the National Taskforce on Ebola intended for patients currently being treated at various Ebola Treatment Centers. Presenting the items, a senior staff of the company Ansu Konneh said Western Cluster along with parent companies Vedanta and Sesa Sterlite are deeply concerned about the current health crisis in the country and the donation was their way of identifying with the people of Liberia during these challenging moments. Receiving the donation, the National Coordinator of the National Task Force on Ebola, Mr. James Dorbor Jallah, praised the company for the donation and described it “as a clear demonstration of solidarity with the people of Liberia,”, The News reports.

Ellen Donates 100 Bags Of Rice, US$5000 To JFK

In the eake of the deadly Ebola virus, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has donated 100 bags of rice to the John F. Kennedy Hospital. The Liberian leader yesterday also donated US$5000 to the hospital to help in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus. President Sirleaf presented six cartons of fish to the hospital as her own gesture in combating the virus.Receiving the items, the General Management of JFK, Dr. Wannie Scott-McDonald on behalf of the staff lauded the Liberian leader for the donation promising that the contribution will be used for the intended purpose,The Inquirer writes.

 BIN Receives 2,000 PPEs

The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization or BIN says Personal Protective Equipment or PPEs donated by the Government of the People’s Republic of China will enhance the work of its officers and also boost their confidence to thoroughly inspect people moving from one county to another as well as people entering the country. BIN Commissioner Lemuel A. Reeves has instructed that the PPEs be given to immigration officers deployed at strategic entries around the country. Commissioner Reeves pointed out that the bureau has been striving to ensure that its officers are protected from Ebola by having the appropriate equipment and heeding preventive measures. The Chinese Embassy near Monrovia on Monday donated over 2,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Bureau of Immigration and Nationalization to protect its officers against the Ebola virus,New Dawn writes.

Confirmed: Liberia Records 1,214 Ebola Deaths

The Liberian Government has confirmed the latest World Health Organization or WHO record that puts the Ebola related cases here at over 2,245 since its outbreak in March to September 2014, with a rising death toll of 1,214 as of September 11. But the French Charity Medecine Sans Frontieres announced Thursday that, 51 recovered Ebola patients had so far been discharged from the ELWA Unit-3, while stressing the need for international partners’ help. House Committee Chairperson on Health Representative Korpu Barclay told UNMIL Radio’s Coffee Break program on Thursday morning that there is a high increase in the Ebola death rate here, further, announcing that confirmed and suspected cases from March to September total 2,245 with 1,214 deaths. On Tuesday, September 9, the World Health Organization or WHO had said the death toll in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria was 2,296 out of 4,293 cases; and that nearly half of all infections had emerged in the past 21 days, New Dawn reports.

More Armed Robbers Arrested

The Liberia National Police says it has arrested seven additional suspected armed robbers across Monrovia, merely days after Police Chief Chris Massaquoi, warned that his men will respond “fire for fire” to attackers. Among the arrested suspects announced on Wednesday, September 10 are three women, Police Spokesman Sam Collins, told reporters at the National Police Headquarters on Capitol Hill. Items seized from suspected criminals were put on display at the news conference yesterday, and among them were computer laptops and accessories, cell phones, single barrel pistols and single barrel rounds, among others, New Dawn writes.