Liberia: AU To Deploy 200 Health Workers

The head of AU Support to Ebola Operations in West Africa (AUSEWA), Maj. Gen. Julius F. Oketta, made the disclosure Tuesday at a news conference held in the conference hall of the Ministry of Commerce.

He said the AU’s initiative is geared towards complementing the efforts of the international community in the fight against the Ebola disease in the country.

He said the deployment of the 200 doctors will be done in two phases, explaining that 100 persons will arrive in Liberia shortly to begin immediate operations for six weeks after which they will be replaced by a second contingent.

According to Gen. Oketta, the strategy to rotate the doctors and nurses is to give them a period of rest as combating the Ebola disease is” a very difficult work which requires patience and caution.”

He said the decision to send the medical practitioners to Liberia came amidst the alarming rate of cases emanating, especially from Liberia, saying, “We realized that Liberia has overtaken all the other affected countries in the number of cases and deaths, so the AUSEWA mission is to provide the necessary support base on our coordination with the Liberian government.”

The Ugandan General pointed out that given his experience in combating the deadly Ebola disease during four major outbreaks in Uganda, it is obviously clear that every strategy previously instituted in Uganda will be replicated so as to lift Liberia from the dungeon of collapse.

Meanwhile, General Oketta has said AUSEWA’s response to Liberia’s crisis will take on four dimensions of support.

He named the provision of medical, logistical, humanitarian as well as communication and information support as planned strategies which will be provided to Liberia in order to purge Ebola.