Residents chase Ebola team away

Despite the increased death toll as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease, residents of Workpor Town, Cinta Township in Margibi County have denied the existence of the virus and chased away an Ebola awareness team from their town.

(L- R) Nathaniel Teagbay, Secretary General and Alexander B. Charlie, Chairman of ABC Foundation Liberia Limited

The incident occurred on 15 October when an awareness team from ABC Foundation Liberia Limited went to the town to educate residents on preventive tips, but was chased away. Workpor Town is adjacent Jennita, Konoquelleh Clan in Cinta Township.

The NewDawn Margibi correspondent, who travelled with the Foundation, said the residents suddenly got infuriated upon arrival of the team in their area and vehemently opposed its presence in the town.

The angry residents said Ebola does not exist in Liberia, but according to them, a demonic clique killing Liberians, adding that they are not interested in any Ebola issue. According to them, ABC Foundation is one of those groups spreading the virus that is killing people.

Though they admitted that since the outbreak of the virus in Liberia, the Foundation is the first group ever to take awareness to their area, they are an ardent believer of God and don’t have time to listen to awareness. The residents refused to receive flyers from ABC Foundation Liberia Limited with anti-Ebola messages. They were also angry with a man who took one flyer from the team to post in the town.

The Chairman of ABC Foundation, Alexander B. Charlie, said the town is a major challenge to the Foundation’s efforts to have Ebola eradicated from Liberia. He said Workpor Town residents need time to realize the harm the virus is inflicting in Liberia, noting that they lack proper information about Ebola and are being misled by some jokers around, who do want to see Ebola out of the country.

However, Mr. Charlie insisted that he would do everything necessary to carry out the awareness exercise in Workpor Town to make people living there understand the truth about Ebola so that they can follow preventive measures to keep safe. He and his secretary-general Nathaniel Teagbay, ordered the team to go to other villages, including Sangai and Morleh towns where they were welcomed by residents there.

The residents thanked the ABC Foundation for going to their areas which they said was first of its kind for an Ebola awareness team to visit them since the outbreak. ABC Foundation Limited is a voluntary youth group dedicated to creating awareness about the virus.  Its aim is to build human capacity, including health, infrastructure as well as promoting youths of Margibi County and Liberia at large.