UN Chief Commits to Help End Ebola in Sierra Leone. In what is known as seeing is believing, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and team visited Ebola worst hit countries in West Africa including Sierra Leone to not only show solidarity and assess the level of progress being made so far on ground in the fight against the dreadful virus, but also to reaffirm UN’s strong commitment to entirely bring an end to the outbreak. “I want to see the response for myself, and to show my solidarity with those affected and urge even greater global action,” Ban told reporters ahead of his trip. Welcoming the UN chief and team on Friday 19 December, President Koroma in somber but hopeful mood said Mr. Ban visited Sierra Leone in March this year to congratulate us in our swift move to transform this country in every facet, and today, he has visited us again but this time to show solidarity for this terrible outbreak,” the president lamented. He emphasized that Sierra Leone was busy rolling out its development roadmap as encapsulated in the ‘Agenda for Prosperity’ and also engrossed in strengthening democracy, building institutions and infrastructure and it was even rated as one of the fastest growing economies in the world when Ebola abruptly struck. “We were interrupted by this strange disease which has put to stake the very existence of this nation,” he said. In up-dating the UN team, President Koroma explained that having been in this battle for seven months now, the country through its development partners has equipped itself with ten labs and six treatment centers as against the one lab and one treatment center that were available at the initial stages of the outbreak. Meanwhile, the president also informed the UN scribe about the ongoing operation ‘Western Area Surge’, which he said is to encourage people to come forward if they have a fever or other symptoms of Ebola and to call the toll free number of 117 for help at an early stage. In response, the UN chief said that he is impressed and satisfied with the strategies put in place to contain the virus in the country and that UN will continue standing by Sierra Leone to overcome the epidemic. “I want to convey a short message to you that the UN will stand with Sierra Leone until the outbreak is over,” Ban assured. He expressed optimism that the ongoing ‘Western Area Surge’ operation will surely create a difference and that Ebola will soon be a thing of the past. “I am absolutely optimistic that Ebola will be defeated,” the UN Secretary General told President Koroma at a joint news conference at State House in Freetown. Among the high powered delegation were Dr Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, and the UN Chiefs Special Envoy on Ebola, Dr David Nabarro. ©SHCU 2014
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 00:25:35 +0000
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