The Government of the People's Republic of China has donated
several health materials valued at US$1.7m to boost up government's efforts to
fight the deadly Ebola virus that has claimed the lives of many Liberians.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Chinese Government
yesterday, the Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Yur Zhany, said the donation is
the Chinese people's way of identifying with Liberia as the country strives to
fight the Ebola virus.
According to Ambassador Zhany, the items include Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE), disinfectants medical gloves, medical thermometer
as well as drugs intended to suppress the Ebola virus in human.
Ambassador Zhany said the Chinese did not only identify with
Liberia but other countries that are fighting the virus such as Guinea and
Sierra Leone. He said the total package to the three countries is valued at
US$5m.
The Chinese envoy explained how the Chinese cargo plane
carrying the items which comprised of disinfectants, protective gears as well
as drugs to suppress the virus had earlier landed in Guinea and Sierra Leone
before arriving at the Roberts International Airport (RIA).
The Coordinator of the Ebola Task force, James Dorbor
Jallah, promised that the items will be stored at the Freeport of Monrovia and
be ready for prompt distribution to hospitals and clinics based on the advice
of the Ministry of Health.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Liberian Government,
the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sylvester Grisby, expressed the
government's gratitude and said the government and people of the Republic of
China have always been friends of the Government of Liberia.
Meanwhile, the National Task Force to fight Ebola headed by
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has commenced series of meetings with the
plenary of the Liberian Senate to provide up-to-date briefings about the status
of Ebola in the country.
At the meeting yesterday, Health Minister Walter Gwenigale
disclosed that there is a possibility that Liberia will receive the experiment
drug that was used to stabilize the two American doctors now in Atlanta, United
States who contracted the virus while serving humanity in Liberia.
He told members of the Liberian Senate at the Capitol
Building among other things that he has been able to contact the company that
produced the drug and it has given some advice in that direction; contacting
the American Forestry Development Authority who consented to the drug coming to
Liberia.
On the issue of closure of medical facilities, he said
medical facilities were closed down by default and that measures are now in
place to ensure that health workers return to work while the facilities will be
chlorinated and prepared to receive patients again.
Minister Gwenigale also announced the appointment of Tolbert
Nyensua as Director for Ebola who according to him will deal with all such
issues and provide up-to-date responses when and if necessary noting that so
far, 20 persons from Montserrado and 30 persons from Lofa Counties have died
after contracting the virus.
He said the Chief Medical Officer, Bernice Dahn, will move
on to addressing the normal health care delivery adding that since the Ebola
outbreak the Ministry of Health had not paid much attention to its regular
health matters including other sicknesses or diseases.
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