THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2015

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s pronouncement of a ten-year program to develop the country’s healthcare system, Police Director Chris Massaquoi’s warning against police officers caught compromising rape cases and the Liberia Media Center’s Peace Education Seminar for university students are story dominating the summary of today dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

GOL To Launch 10-Year Healthcare Dev. Program  Train Healthcare Pros - Expand Services - Establish 3 Regional Hospitals

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced last night that the weaknesses in the country’s healthcare services exposed at the height of the Ebola outbreak, the government is embarking on a ten-year program to develop the nation’s healthcare system. The program’s areas of concentration will be to train health care professionals, improve and expand services at primary and secondary healthcare centers, upgrade county hospitals and establish three regional hospitals in the country.   In a nationwide radio address reviewing the journey so far since the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease; President Sirleaf said the government will emphasize the repositioning of JFK to meet its envisioned role as a national referral center.  President Sirleaf explained that the Ebola invasion overwhelmed “our recovering health care system and threatened to reverse our economic recovery gains, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: 10-Yr Plan Unveiled-For JFK Hospital, Other Govt. Sectors(In Profile Daily), President Sirleaf Highlights Health, Education And Agriculture In Post-Ebola Recovery(INSIGHT), Pres. Sirleaf Highlights Health, Education, Agriculture As Priorities(FrontPage Africa)

Dir. Massaquoi Threatens Drastic Action Against LNP Officers -Wants Community Support to Address Crimes

Police Director Col. Clarence Massaquoi has threatened to take drastic action against any police officer caught compromising on rape cases. Rape, child abuse and domestic violence are on the increase in Liberia and must be taken very seriously, warned Director Massaquoi Wednesday at a joint community police initiative, held in Dolo’s Town, Margibi County. The Police Chief said any act that undermines the LNP’s zero tolerance policy on rape and other forms of domestic violence will not be tolerated. He warned parents and guardians to stop settling rape disputes in the comfort of their homes, writes the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Police Director Threatens Officers(The News), Liberian Police Chief Stresses Zero Tolerance For Rape(FrontPage Africa)

EU Funds Conflict Prevention Curriculum

Liberia Media Center (LMC) has organized a Peace Education Seminar, bringing together students and academics from the Kofi Annan School for Conflict Transformation, Cuttington University, University of Liberia, AME University, and United Methodist University. Representatives from the Lofa County community College and Grand Bassa County Community College were also present. Speaking at the opening of the program, Tiina Intelmann, Ambassador of the European Union noted: “The European Union tends to focus on long term assistance programs. While we understand that strategic infrastructure projects are vital for Liberia, the most important investment we can make is investing in the human capital of your country”, the News reports.

Related Caption: UN To End Peacekeeping Mission(New Democrat), European Union Funds Peace And Conflict Prevention Curriculum(FrontPage Africa), LMC Inaugurates EU-Funded Peace, Conflict Prevention Curriculum(The New Republic), EU-Funded Peace And Conflict Prevention Curriculum Inaugurated(INSIGHT)

OTHER STORIES

New Research On Ebola Survivors

Amidst  the death of Liberia’s latest Ebola victim, who was widely believed to  have been infected by an Ebola survivor boyfriend, the Partnership for Research on Ebola Vaccines in Liberia (PREVAIL), says it plans to launch a natural history study of Ebola survivors to better understand the after-effects of the Ebola Virus Disease in human. Four sites in Monrovia and locations in the United States may begin enrollment into this study in the coming months. The study is pending regulatory review and approval, according to statement issued by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAID conducts and supports research at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide, to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. The female Liberian victim, 44-year-old Ruth Tugbeh, reportedly died last week in a Chinese constructed ETU at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium outside Monrovia. According to the New Dawn newspaper, health authorities in Monrovia are still investigating the source of the latest case of the Ebola Virus Disease that involves a 44 years old female resident of Caldwell Township in the suburb of Monrovia. The unidentified boyfriend had reportedly completed the 90 days or three months period prescribed by doctors in the Ebola Treatment Units for survivors to abstain from sex. The Ebola virus lives in the semen of male survivors for up to 90 days during which it is dangerous to have sexual intercourse with a partner, health experts have advised. The couple reportedly had regular sex, using condoms but this time around, they decided to take the experiment a step further, having successfully completed the 90 days abstinence period.

Related Caption: Liberia-US Team To Study Survivors(New Democrat)

Red Cross Set For The Next Challenges In The Ebola Response

The Liberia National Red Cross Society has renewed its commitment to fighting Ebola in the country. For the past year, Red Cross volunteers have been on the frontline, supporting the Ministry of Health’s five pillar response. “A year on, Ebola is not over in Liberia. There is still work to be done and we are proud to be playing a lead role in overcoming complacency and stigma in communities,” said Mr. Fayiah Tamba, Secretary General of the Liberia National Red Cross Society. He said the Red Cross will work closely with the Liberian Government in active Ebola case search and cross border surveillance, strengthening health systems and improving water and sanitation, and supporting livelihoods as people return to life beyond Ebola, reports the  INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Caption: Red Cross Set For The Next Challenges-In The Ebola Response(In Profile Daily)

ECOWAS At 40: Plans Celebration With Launch Of Activities

The ECOWAS National Office of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning launches a series of activities commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, established on May 28, 1975. In 1964, President William V.S. Tubman proposed an economic union for West Africa leading to an agreement which was signed in 1965 by the four states of Cote d’Ivore, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. President Tubman’s vision was subsequently expanded by Nigerian President Gen. Yakubu Gowon and his Togolese counterpart Gnassinge Eyadema. In 1972, the two leaders toured the region in support of the integration idea and their efforts culminated in the signing of the Treaty of Lagos in 1975, which officially gave birth to ECOWAS. The 40th Anniversary activities will shed light on the enormous contributions ECOWAS has made to sub-regional socio-economic development, with particular emphasis on the role Liberia has played since the formation of ECOWAS. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the ECOWAS 40TH Anniversary Celebration events bring together stakeholders of ECOWAS, the Diplomatic Mission, and officials of government, academics, historians, experts and other relevant personalities on the sub-regional development.

Related Caption: ECOWAS Clocks 40(New Democrat)

World Bank US$3.4m Agric Package To Benefit 10,500 Youths

The World Bank has provided US$3.4 million agriculture package to benefit 10,500 youths from the 15 political sub-divisions for 18 months. This was disclosed by the Community Livelihood Investment project (CLIP) Manager Andrew K. Macgona, under the Social Protection Department at Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), In Profile Daily writes.

LACE Hosts 5-day Food Security Workshop For Region 4

The Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) is holding a five-day workshop on food security and household enterprise in Buchanan. Twenty participants from Rivercess, Margibi, Sinoe and Grand Bassa Counties, which comprise Region Four on Community Farming are attending the training session. The workshop runs from March 30 to April 3. Community Livelihood Investment Project (CLIP) Manager Andrew K. Macgona, under the Social Protection Department at LACE said the purpose of the workshop is to allow partners and local authorities in the Region discuss the project objectives, key strategy and activities, In Profile Daily reports.