Paynesville –The National Ebola Survivors Network of Liberia has taken back a recent statement it made against two institutions working on post-ebola projects in the country, claiming its members were being marginalized and denied benefits.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah / 00231777039231 [email protected]
The retraction comes barely two weeks after the network alleged that they were neglected and their benefits were been embezzled by the Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia (PREVAIL) and its partner, Liberia Crusaders for Peace.
In a press conference held over the weekend in Paynesville, the survivor network president Anthony M. Naileh said the previous statement was due to lack of understanding on some key issues.
Mr. Naileh admitted to “creating a blunder” by coming up with such negative comment “without prior understanding” on the working of PREVAIL.
“The National Ebola Survivors Network wants to use this medium to register its apology and retract the allegation leveled against PREVAIL and Crusader for Peace,” he said.
In its previous statement, the group had complained that PREVAIL was “single handedly” implementing a contract signed with the government, “leaving them out of the show”.
They also alleged that all of their benefits associated with the contract were not given to them.
But the Survivor Network President has expressed regrets for “coming out quick” with such comment, which he said has “created a stain on the images of a renowned medical practitioner” Dr. Mosoka Fallah of Prevail and Culture Ambassador Juli Endee, who heads the Crusader for Peace.
However, Naileh said there were several things that survivors did not know concerning the workings of the two groups, adding that they are now highly informed about the project.
Naileh also said although some of the issues raised in their previous statement were not the reality, it also paved the way for the partners to act swiftly.
“In any institution, sometimes, it’s good to take a radical approach when those who you expect to speak are not speaking. We were just raising a concern,” Nailah maintained.
He said one of network’s concerns has been the contract signed between the government and PREVAIL for which no information was given them.
“What the government did was to incorporate us through the Ministry of health and that anything we want to raise is to be done through PREVAIL,” Naileh said.
Meanwhile, having understood the workings of the survivor research group, Mr. Naileh has called on members of the National Ebola Network of Liberia to work with PREVAIL for the betterment of research and survivors.