Irish humanitarian Mrs. Adrienne Blomberg-Sarwahpue (along with Mr. Sarwahpue, middle) donating hand washing buckets and other anti-Ebola materials to the Gaye Dukpaye Community last September as Chairman Benedict Bropleh looks on
“In Gaye Dukpaye, we are not only on the alert, we will also keep engaging everyone that we have not won the war,” Shadrack S. Chea told me right before a big white barrel donated by CHAP International. The barrel contained diluted chlorinated water for passersby to wash their hands. It is part of measures the community has employed to fight the Ebola outbreak since last year. “Wash your hands; Ebola is still here; we need to fight it…” Continue reading “Success Of Fighting Ebola Thru Community-Based Approach — The Story Of Gaye Dukpaye Community”→
Liberia’s New Public Works Minister Gyude Moore has begun showing signs that he might make progress in helping revamp the country’s public infrastructure
“What kind of trouble is this?” he complained. “This is not time to fix roads; it should be done at night,” he menacingly added, though an opposed equal response would follow by a fellow passenger, a female. “People like you will never be satisfied,” a she countered. “When the people work, you vex; when they not work, you vex. Your give the people chance to do their work because we want good roads.”
Many Liberians in a around Monrovia, where road repair works are currently being done by the Ministry of Public Works are involved in heated exchanges like the above. One group of people argues that the Ministry needs to immediately respond to damaging roads across the city that are undermining free vehicular movements, while the other argues that it was inappropriate for the Ministry to “be fixing roads in the day” especially during rush hours. Continue reading “Feature: Public Works Resurrects To Do The People’s Work: Is Gyude Moore Showing Early Footprints?”→
Written by Solomon Watkins-+231 (0) 886 427 519/ysolomonwwatkins@gamil.com
President of the Liberian Network of People Living with HIV (LIBNEP+) Joejoe Baysah
MONROVIA: More than three (3) decades now, HIV and AIDS continue to remain a major threat to Global Developmental Agendas, particularly programs of the Government of Liberia and its citizens.
According to the 2014 Liberia Demography Health Survey (2014LDS), the prevalence of people living with HIV has increased from 1.5% in 2007 to 1.9% currently. The survey noted that the 1.9% accounts for thirty eight thousand people tested HIV positive out of the Nation’s 4.2 million population.
As the national HIV and AIDS response is still confronted with challenges of stigma and discrimination, limited capacity for effective program implementation, ineffective monitoring and reporting of the national response, and most importantly, over dependency on external funding for the national program, Ebola which is being considered more than a health issue has begun to infect and killed people living with HIV in the country.
Already People Living with HIV (PLHIV) immune system are weakened by HIV and is only with the help of the Anti–retroviral therapy (ART) which is a treatment that can suppressed HIV and AIDS, latest reports gathered from associations of people living with the virus and their members revealed that more than seven (7) persons who had HIV have died of Ebola related causes in Liberia. Continue reading “Double Mess: The Fate Of People Living With HIV In Liberia; Amidst The Deadly Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak”→
Liberia’s Transport Minister Angela Cassell-Bush has voluntarily submitted to be quarantined after death of her driver from the Ebola virus
Transport Minister Angela Cassell-Bush has voluntarily submitted to being quarantined following reports of the death of her driver, Nimene Sumo, from the Ebola virus.
Disclosing this Tuesday at the Ministry of Information regular Ebola press briefing at the ministry, Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs, Isaac Jackson, said contrary to speculations in the public, the Minister is not infected with the Ebola virus.
Minister Bush is the second cabinet official to undergo self quarantine. About three weeks ago, the Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, Dr. Bernice Dahn quarantined herself after a staff in her office died of Ebola.
A Transport Ministry release also clarifies that the late Sumo, a driver assigned with the Minister, has made no contact with her since his last day at work on Friday, October 3, 2014.
As a matter of precaution, Minister Cassell-Bush has decided to voluntarily isolate herself for the period of 21 days, commencing October 3, 2014, Mr. Sumo’s last day of work and the last day of her interaction with him. Continue reading “Second Government Minister Undergoes Ebola Quarantine”→
The mid-term senatorial election is scheduled to be held on October 14 2014, about a week from now but as it is and from all indications, election will not be held on 14, October. Article of the Liberian constitution states under Article 83(a) that “elections are held on the second Tuesday of October every election year….”
No doubt elections cannot be held due to the Ebola outbreak. In August of this year, consultations were been held with political parties and Civil Society groups in Liberia by the National Election Commission (NEC) to gauge their views on the possibilities of holding election. A month and half later all activities leading to Election Day were suspended. No one ever argues the LEGALITY in this matter as Expediency is the way out. Continue reading “Was Eric that evil? Another view of the Duncan story”→
Renowned Liberian human rights lawyer Atty. Samuel Kofi Woods, II, and Mr. Ties Kroezen, Venture Manager of Philips Africa’s Incubator
As the Ebola Virus disease ravages the country, a renowned Liberian human rights lawyer Atty. Samuel Kofi Woods, II, is mobilizing strong international support to help the government and the country deal with the killer disease, with a pending arrival of what would be the fastest Ebola test machine in Liberia.
The Philips Corporation, an electronics manufacturing giant says it will shortly roll out the improved diagnosis equipment for the quick detection of the Ebola virus disease.
Mr. Ties Kroezen, Venture Manager of Philips Africa’s Incubator, made the disclosure during a meeting with Atty. Woods Wednesday in the Netherlands.
According to Mr. Ties Kroezen the new testing equipment which will take seconds to diagnose Ebola, will be rolled in out in a matter of weeks. “It is expected that when this machine comes into use, it will take seconds to diagnose cases of Ebola,” Kroezen told Woods.
The Ebola diagnostic device discussed is awaiting approval by WHO for deployment. When approved, WHO will take responsibility for local distribution, according to Woods.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has fired 10 government officials after they failed to return home from abroad to join their compatriots fight the deadly Ebola virus disease which has claimed at least 1250 lives in the country.
Following the announcement of a state of emergency and the imposition of curfew in August, the Liberian leader ordered all government officials who had travelled outside the country to return within a week to join the government respond to the world’s worst ever Ebola outbreak in the country. Continue reading “Ellen Fires 10 Runaway Government Officials, Suspends Several Others”→
Flashback: Liberian Army preparing for their first ever modern-day peacekeeping mission to Mali
Liberia’s Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has admonished soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to exemplify all the training and discipline they have acquired as they go on peace keeping mission in Mali.
The latest update on the Ebola virus in Liberia issued by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization puts the total death toll from the disease at 34 as at June 22.
The update indicates that between 19 and 22 June 2014, a total of 10 new cases and 8 new deaths were reported from Lofa County, while Montserrado County had 2 cases and 2 deaths, bringing the cumulative number of cases and deaths reported from Liberia to 51. Continue reading “Liberia Ebola Death Toll Hits 34”→
Nancy Doe is only 10, and was brought to Monrovia by a relative of her parents to go to school, but she has to sell plump and other fruits daily before she’s allowed to eat–she is not in school
The U.S. Department of State has released its 2014 Trafficking in Person (TIP) report on Liberia and has praised Liberia for making substantial progress in combatting human trafficking although it says more work still needs to be done.
THE WEEPING PEN 