Liberia News

Monrovia, 24 April 2015 - The WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti has wrapped up her 3 day official visit to Liberia with a courtesy call on the President of Liberia, Her Excellency, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has produced increasing circles of victims beyond the infected and the dead. Survivors, families, children, and health workers are dealing with the stress and trauma left behind by the disease. Read how a psychosocial worker supports Ebola patients, and serves as a liaison between Ebola patients and their families and communities.

As of 22 October 2014, a delegation of 53 Cuban health workers arrived in Liberia to help fight the Ebola outbreak. The Cuban team consists of nurses, doctors, epidemiologists and intensive care specialists. Having received an initial Ebola training in Cuba, all team members received a second training in Liberia on how to work in an Ebola treatment unit.

Monrovia, 22 April 2015 - The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti began a two-day official visit to Liberia today. The aim of the visit is to assess the progress that has been made in controlling the Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic and identify areas WHO could further support the country in its recovery efforts. The visit is the last leg of the Regional Director’s tour of the three countries worst affected by the EVD since she took office in February this year.

In early December, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf urged the people of Liberia to travel the last mile to reduce Ebola cases to zero. That last mile will be very long and difficult, and can only be achieved when every county has the capacity to find and isolate all cases, trace all contacts and bury all who die from Ebola safely. Here is the story of 2 remote villages travelling that last mile.

The number of new Ebola cases in Liberia has been falling in recent weeks. Now, hard-to-reach villages are at the frontline in the fight to drive cases to zero.

31 October 2014 – Monrovia, Liberia. Today a new Ebola treatment unit opens at the former Ministry of Defence compound, on the outskirts of Monrovia. This new unit adds another 200 beds to the almost 500 currently available for Ebola patients in the Liberian capital, which remains the epicentre of the outbreak.

Monrovia, 10 April, 2015 - Following years of a catastrophic civil war, the Government of Liberia, along with partners put in place a number of initiatives for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the health sector that was completely ravished. Paramount among these efforts was the development of a ten year National Health and Social Welfare Policy and Plan along with an essential package of health services.

Just before the holiday season started a certification ceremony was held for all the health care workers that had completed all the stages of the WHO led clinical Ebola training in Monrovia. 

The training program started back in late September and was developed into a two- staged program, separated as a “Cold” training and the “Hot” training.

The Cold training was held in an Ebola realistic environment, and consisted of five days training. From mid November the Hot training started with a three days training in a real Ebola Treatment unit.

October 2014 - One of the challenges to bring the Ebola outbreak under control in Liberia has been lack of access locally to laboratories able to provide a quick and firm diagnosis of the disease. This month the United States Navy opened a new high-tech mobile laboratory near the Island Clinic, one of the Ebola treatment units in Monrovia, Liberia, that is supported by the WHO.

Monrovia, 10 April 2015 - During the past fifteen years, Liberia has gone through three complex emergencies, two civil wars and currently the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak.  These emergencies disrupted the country’s economy and caused the near collapse of the health sector.   The Government and partners have initiated a number of measures to rehabilitate and reconstruct the country and in particular to restore access to basic health services.