President Sirleaf Visits Lofa County, Original Epic Center of the Ebola Virus Disease; In Foya, MSF Reports ‘No New Case’ for the Past Three Weeks Tuesday, 21st October 2014 At the Foya MSF-ETU, President Sirleaf explains to its head, St Louis and team about government-partner collaboration. At the Foya MSF-ETU, President Sirleaf explains to its head, St Louis and team about government-partner collaboration. Photo Credit: Adama B. Thompson / Executive Mansion Foya, Lofa County - 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 Médicins San Frontières (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. Foya, a town that shares borders with both Guinea and Sierra Leone, registered the country’s first case of the Ebola virus disease from neighboring Guinea in February 2014. This case later killed hundreds in the county and subsequently spread to other parts of the country especially Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. The Liberian leader began a two-day visit to Lofa County on Monday, October 20, in continuation of her assessment to the Ebola situation in the country. She used the opportunity to hold discussions with community leaders on the essence of working collectively to contain the virus as well as met with healthcare workers in the county to encourage them to continue to exhibit commitment in the discharge of their duties. Dr. Louis warned that although significant gains have been made, President Sirleaf should reconsider security measures at the border area aimed at preventing a reoccurrence of how the virus was transported from Guinea and later spread throughout the country. He disclosed that the neighboring Guinean towns of Gueckedou and Macenta, close to Foya and Voinjama, are reporting an increase in cases of the Ebola virus. He further named coordination and information sharing as important tools for the total containment of the virus; emphasizing that the Foya ETU could be used as an example as these measures greatly helped in reaching to zero case for the past weeks. Performing a detailed demonstration of protocols at the ETU, the Dr. Louis informed the Liberian President that the community equally supported their work though it came a little too late. He attributed the rapid spread and numerous deaths to denial and cultural practices. The MSF head in Foya disclosed that there are only six patients in the ETU and informed President Sirleaf that the patients will be discharged in the coming days. At the Foya Borma Hospital, President Sirleaf was briefed about the state of affairs of the hospital where regular health services are ongoing despite losing six nurses to the Ebola outbreak. Meanwhile, in the country’s capital, Voinjama, later in the evening, President Sirleaf visited the Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital where the head doctor Zuana Kamara reported that there are regular health services being provided with no new case of Ebola for a little over one month. Responding, separately, President Sirleaf termed the Lofa County Ebola situation as welcoming and relieving as a total defeat will lead to resumption of normal activities especially farming which is the main occupation of the people. She expressed joy that the citizens of Lofa County have been able to work with Liberia’s partners to reach thus far in the Ebola fight and hoped that other affected areas across the country will soon report the same as Lofa County. President Sirleaf, accompanied to the County by the U.S. Ambassador Deborah Malac, told the people to continue working with MSF and the county authorities to maintain the zero transmission rates. In Voinjama, the Liberian leader thanked the health workers and announced to them that their risk benefits are now being paid. She admonished them to keep upholding their duty to the people as government works on some other demands including increment in benefits. En route to Voinjama from Foya, President Sirleaf made stops at several health clinics including Kolahun Hospital. She donated Personnel Protective Equipment (PPEs) and assorted food items for healthcare workers as a demonstration of her appreciation for their sacrificial services. While in Lofa the President Sirleaf is expected to pay similar visits to Zorzor, Salayea and clinics along the route to Monrovia. More Press Releases
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 12:58:58 +0000
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