VP Boakai honors Samaritan’s Purse

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, has lauded the international charity, Samaritan’s Purse and its Liberian Partner, Eternal Love Wining Africa (ELWA) Hospital for their immense support to Liberia in the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which has claimed more than 3,000 lives across the country.

Vice President Boakai said during the outbreak of the virus here in March last year, Samaritan’s Purse was one of first international humanitarian organizations that began partnering with the Government of Liberia in fighting the epidemic. 

According to a press release, V.P. Boakai made the recognition over the weekend at his Rehab Residence in Paynesville during a private dinner hosted to bid farewell to Dr. Will Elphick, who has ended his tour of duty as head of the ELWA Hospital.

Vice President Boakai praised Dr. Elphick for his diligent services to Liberia, which he said, will always be remembered. He serenaded Dr. and Mrs. Elphick, reminding them to take Liberia as their home to which they were always welcome.

In response, Dr. Will Elphick thanked Vice President Boakai, the Government and people of Liberia for their support over the years. He also thanked the staff of ELWA Hospital for the cooperation given him as head of that institution in the ongoing construction of the new ELWA Hospital Complex, which will contain a doctors’ compound. He disclosed that a new Radio Studio edifice is at the same time being constructed by ELWA. 

For his part, Deputy Health Minister, Matthew Flomo, who represented the Ministry of Health, expressed thanks and appreciation to Samaritan’s Purse for its continued support to the fight against Ebola in Liberia. The Deputy Minister made special emphasis on the bringing into the country of a Boeing 747 aircraft loaded with Ebola preventive materials for distribution to hospitals across Liberia. 

The dinner was graced by a representative leadership group of the Ministry of Health, the ELWA Hospital and the Samaritan’s Purse were guests at a dinner tendered in their honor at the residence of the Vice President on the evening of Saturday, February 7, 2015.