Africa News
UN vows to help Liberia fight Ebola─── 07:33 Sun, 24 Aug 2014
Monrovia - The United Nations vowed on Saturday to play a "strong role" in helping Liberia and its neighbours fight the deadly outbreak of Ebola in west Africa, which it said could take months to bring it under control.
Liberia has been particularly hard hit by the epidemic that has swept relentlessly across the region since March, accounting for almost half of the 1 427 deaths.
In recognition of the deteriorating situation, neighbouring Ivory Coast announced on Saturday it had closed its borders with Liberia and Guinea in a bid to protect its citizens.
"Ebola in Liberia must be addressed to ensure a stable economy, future and society," said Karin Landgren, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's special representative for the country.
"The magnitude of this outbreak requires a higher level of coordination than previous responses and the UN Mission in Liberia will play a strong role in this effort," she said in a statement on Saturday.
Her comments were echoed by Dr David Nabarro, the UN's new pointman on Ebola, who arrived in the region on Thursday to tour the Ebola-hit countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria.
Nabarro, a British physician tasked with coordinating the global response to the worst-ever outbreak of the deadly virus, said the UN would "ensure that adequate resources are given to sectors that need it most".
A day earlier, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned it could take "several months" to bring the epidemic under control.
- AFP
