Guinea president urges reintegration of people cured from Ebola

Guinea President Alpha Conde has appealed for socio-professional reintegration of people cured from Ebola, after Tuesday's declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the country was Ebola-free.

An official ceremony to mark the end of the end of Ebola in Guinea was held in Conakry in the presence of the president, members of government, ambassadors and Guinea's bilateral as well as multilateral partners.

During the ceremony, Conde urged the population and actors at all levels to end stigmatization and rejection of people cured from the disease in families, places of work and the society in general.

"We must protect our brothers and sisters who were affected by the Ebola epidemic," the president said.

He recalled that over 2,000 Guineans died from the Ebola virus that has been spreading in the country for the last two years.

Conde used the opportunity to thank the international community, all friendly countries and partners who helped his country fight against Ebola, by providing funds as well as technical and logistical support.

Ibrahima Savane, the representative of people cured from Ebola, expressed the anxiety and fear Ebola patients and victims suffered during their hospitalization.

He said the end of Ebola should not be a time "to drop our guard," but rather it should be a moment to "reinforce vigilance and maintain preventive measures to avert a recurrence of the disease."

"We have won the battle, but the war is not yet over," the Guinean Ebola survivor said.

WHO's representative in Guinea Dr. Mohammed Belhocine said in the last two years, over 2,000 national health workers and expatriates and over 52 million U.S. dollars were mobilized to fight against Ebola in Guinea. Endit