Ebola survivors stopped from traveling

A local organization, Young Liberia, dedicated to de-stigmatizing Ebola survivors across the country, has strongly expressed frustration and condemned recent decision by the Nimba County Health Team to prevent Ebola survivors from joining their colleagues from across Liberia at a program held in Gbarnga, Bong County, Central Liberia.

Speaking to The NewDawn Nimba correspondent, the Regional Director for Young Liberia, Jones Davies, said the organization held a special program for Ebola survivors during the weekend in Gbarnga, but was disappointed when 70 survivors invited from Nimba, were stopped by the head of the health team of Nimba, Dr. Collins Bowah.

Jones said program is part of efforts to counsel survivors and make them feel once more acceptable in society.

According to him, the Nimba Ebola survivors were stopped by Dr. Bowah from attending the program on grounds that there was no formal communication to his office as head of the county health, about the invitation.

He such argument by Dr. Bowah is disappointing, as the survivors are not his personal property.

When contacted, Dr. Bowah confirmed that he stopped the Ebola survivors from joining their counterparts in Gbarnga, because the Nimba County Health Team was not aware of the survivors traveling out of the county.

He stressed that this is no time for Ebola survivors to be involved in social activities, but to soberly sit and reflect on rebuilding their lives.

More than 3,000 Ebola survivors are currently across the country, including males, women and children. The last Ebola survivors discharged from a Chinese operated ETU at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium recently in Paynesville outside Monrovia, is a female. The survivors have organized themselves under the banner, Liberia Ebola Survivors Network.

By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba