Liberia News

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.

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.

Monrovia, 9 April 2015 - World Health Day was celebrated in Liberia under the theme ‘Food Safety’, keeping food safe from the farm to the plate. A week-long awareness and sensitization campaign on food safety was conducted in market places, schools and various communities. These activities were targeted at creating awareness and educating the public on the importance of keeping food safe and the dangers of consuming unsafe food.

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. 

Monrovia, 20 March 2015 - To curb reemergence of unsafe burial practices, the Mandingo Community, (one of the tribes in Liberia) through its leaders has held community consultation dialogue to seek consensus on accommodating community needs while reducing risk of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) transmission. One solution sought was the training of select members of the community to conduct safe burials. The burial team would comprise of six community volunteers, a mix of women and men, and an Imam (a worship leader of the mosque).

As Liberia continues to count down to the 42 days mark to be declared Ebola-free, since the last confirmed EVD case tested twice negative on March 03,  2015, the Ministry of Health of Liberia in collaboration with WHO and other partners is focusing on ensuring that healthcare workers remain safe as they continue to provide care. Today, the Acting Minister of Health, Dr Bernice Dahn launched a training package designed to empower health workers to remain safe while providing quality care to patients in health care facilities (HCFs) and in Ebola Treatment Units (ETU).

Monrovia, 16 March 2015 - As Liberia marks the second week of Zero cases of Ebola, the Cuban medical team through the Cuban Government Health Attaché announced conclusion of the team’s successful Ebola Response mission in the country. The Attaché was addressing a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Health in partnership with UNMEER, World Health Organization and US CDC to bid farewell to the team.

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.

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.

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.