Health authorities begin border surveillance

Health authorities of Bong County have begun major cross-border surveillance at strategic points along the Guinean-Liberian borders.

The office of Bong County Superintendent and County Health Team recently began negotiations with health authorities of Guinea to establish a surveillance team in preventing the recurrence of the Ebola virus.

Making the disclosure to our Bong County correspondent, the County Health Officer, Dr. Sampson Azouaquoi, said the health team has trained community members to understand basic signs and symptoms of Ebola, as well as tracing movements of people along the border lines.

The team will monitor and examine citizens and traders transacting businesses across the borders to ensure that they are Ebola-free before crossing the border from either side.

Dr. Azouaquoi said the plan is part of the measures being put in place to sustain the gains made against the disease.

He further added that the cross-border measures are intended to institute some preventive measures to will keep both countries safe.

The Bong County Health Officer also urged citizens to remain within the confines of the measures put in place by health workers and the Government of Liberia to ensure that there ls recurrence of the Ebola outbreak.

He noted that neighboring countries were still reporting confirmed cases- something he said should signal that there was still a threat of the virus to Liberia.

The decision by the Bong County Health Team and County administration comes bares a few days after a permanent businessman of the county- Delano Kollie distributed cell-phones among traditional chiefs in town and villages along Liberia’s borders with Guinea in Bong County. Mr. Kollie’s action was to capacitate border town chiefs and elders to report to county and health authorities any suspicion of Ebola in the area.