The former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has extended solidarity to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease in that country.
The Ebola virus outbreak which began on August 1, 2018 in Kivu District in the Ituri Province of DRC has reportedly claimed an estimated 1,000 lives.
The affected province is currently experiencing a military conflict, which is hindering treatment and prevention efforts.
Madam Sirleaf made the statement on her official Twitter Page, saying: “I stand in solidarity with the brave healthcare workers and urge DRC government and stakeholders to learn from Liberia’s experience in community empowerment and vigilance” when the death toll of the Ebola
outbreak in the DRC surpassed 950.
It can be recalled on 30 March 2014, Liberia confirmed its first two cases of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Foya, Lofa County and by 23 April about 34 cases and six deaths from Ebola in Liberia were
recorded. The the total number of cases recorded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was 10,678 and 4,810 deaths .
According to Madam Sirleaf, community empowerment was one of the best methods used in the Liberian scenario and should be applied to save our people from the deadly Ebola virus in the Democracy Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare at some point in 2014 used Ebola Active Case Finder to move into communities for awareness and house-to-house search as community responsibilities and patriotic duty to end Ebola and bring back hope to the people.
On May 9, 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Liberia free of the Ebola Virus transmission.
TSS/abj/APA