Margibi launches Ebola awareness campaign

The Margibi County Authorities in collaboration with the Margibi County Health Team and the Administration of the Charles Rennie Hospital has launched an awareness campaign against the Ebola virus in the county. The campaign is meant at sensitizing residents on preventive steps to halt spread of the virus there.

Margibi County is one of the three counties here afflicted by the Ebola virus. The other two counties are Lofa and Montserrado. The campaign was launched on Wednesday, July 9th with Margibi Lawmakers, local county administration; the Margibi Health Team, clan and paramount chiefs as well as commissioners and general town chiefs along with eminent citizens particpating in Kakata.

Speaking during the launch, Margibi District# 5 Representative James Emmanuel Nuquaye, said the initiative by the county Legislative Caucus and the county health team is intended to create massive awareness among the citizenry, noting that it will educate the citizens about the truth concerning the virus and how they could prevent it.

Representative Nuquaye said many people in Margibi and Liberia as a whole doubt the existence of the virus due to lack of education. He warned that people are dying from the disease so it should not be overlooked by anyone in the country. Speaking at the Kakata City hall, he said the best time to tackle the disease is at its very early stage where it has not affected many people.

The lawmaker, who is also chairs the House’s Standing Committee on Ways, Means and Finance, urged residents to report suspected cases to health authorities, urging them not to be afraid to go to the health centers when they start to observe suspicious sicknesses in their communities. He said the county caucus and health team will ensure that the awareness go from community to community, including rural parts of Margibi to have everyone abreast of Ebola.

Representative Nuguaye stressed that the awareness should not only be carried on radio stations but the county health team should meet with the people and have discussions with them concerning the virus as well as take along video clips of victims of the Ebola virus in order to convince those citizens doubting the existence of the disease in Liberia.

He commended the Ministry of Health and all partners who have contributed immensely to making sure Ebola is contained in the country. At same time, Margibi County Health Officer Dr. Hawa M. Kromah, is calling on the citizenry to take seriously preventive measures that will save them from the virus, stressing, that prevention is better than cure.

She said the ongoing awareness is at the right time, considering the number of people who have died as result of Ebola. Dr. Kromah added that since it out break in the county, two people have died from the virus in Margibi, including a trainee of the Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute, Michael Tengbeh and lady who died in the Firestone community in Harbel. 

The Margibi County Health Team in collaboration with the Administration of the Charles Rennie Hospital in Kakata recently listed 10 nurses from the C. H. Rennie Hospital and several others to be closely observed for suspected symptoms of the Ebola Virus Disease in the county. The decision came days after the nurses were noticed to have come in contact with victim Michael Tengbeh, who died subsequently at the C.H. Rennie Hospital.

Speaking to this paper at the C.H. Rennie Hospital in Kakata on July 2, 2014, County Health Officer Dr. Hawa Kromah, said the nurses are currently out of work and are being observed for 21 days.  Dr. Kromah said there are other people who also came in contact with the late Michael Tengbeh prior to his death, including trainees from the Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute, especially roommates and others from the community.