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UN Ebola chief cautions Liberians against complacency despite progress

Xinhua, February 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

The head of United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed cautioned Liberians against complacency as new cases are emerging in the country despite progress made.

The UN envoy who was on his second assessment tour of the three worst affected Ebola countries in West Africa said Liberia had not met the condition set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be "declared Ebola-free."

"Liberia is very closed to getting to zero. This is a testament to the president, the government and community leadership and commitment of the Liberian people to help change public practices and modify social and behavioral change," Ahmed told reporters Thursday in Monrovia.

He said the fight against Ebola is not only getting to zero but maintaining it at zero. It requires continued commitment from all sides and government in building a sustained system.

The UN envoy underscored the need for "improved health delivery services, health workers to practice infection prevention and protocols, community leaders to do away with complacency and the Liberian people to maintain the health practices that have lowered the rate of infection."

Ahmed also stressed the importance of massive community awareness and continued practice of public health protocols such as hand washing and doing away with touching the dead in order for the zero mark to be achieved.

The UN envoy reminded Liberians that the current outbreak began with just one case.

"But it will be extremely presumptuous to make a forecast. What is very sure is that Liberia is in the right direction," Ahmed said.

He called on Liberians to continue exerting all of the efforts to reduce the number of Ebola cases in the country in order to achieve zero cases, adding "those are the challenges that are ahead of us." Endi