Liberian Red Cross Volunteer Staff Receives Highest International Award

Monrovia – A volunteer staff of the Liberia National Red Cross Society Mrs. Roselyn Nugba Ballah has been awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal.

Mrs. Ballah is among 39-outstanding nurses from 22 countries receiving the Florence Nightingale Medal, which honors exceptional courage and devotion to the victims of armed conflict or natural disaster.

This 46^th distinct international award to Madam Ballah, also recognizes her exemplary service or a pioneering spirit in the areas of public health or nursing education.

Mrs. Ballah headed the Liberian Red Cross’ safe and dignified burial team, ensuring that all Ebola bodies were collected from the streets and communities and properly buried during the Ebola operation in Liberia.

She was nominated by the Liberian Red Cross and selected by a commission comprised of the ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Council of Nurses.

The President of the Liberian Red Cross, Mr. Jerome Clarke, in a special congratulatory message to Mrs. Ballah, underscored her outstanding performance and commitment to offer hope and support to humanity during a dangerous period of Ebola.

Clarke says the award is an indication that the work of the Liberia Red Cross staff and volunteers are still being recognized and appreciated internationally to motivate other staff and volunteers in the service of humanity in Liberia.

Since the Ebola response, the Liberian Red Cross has received several awards institutionally including the Golden Image award, Investiture EVD Award, Spanish Red Cross EVD Award, and the Special Humanitarian Award and individually the Alumni category of the 2016 Advance Global Australian Awards to Mrs. Neima Candy and the latest is the Florence Nightingale Medal awarded to Mrs. Roselyn Ballah. 

In June 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia.