Monrovia – During the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease, over 4,000 Liberians died simply because the country lacked basic medical supplies such as gloves, beds, disinfectant, ambulances, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to treat the infected.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
The entire country was overwhelmed and unprepared for such a deadly disease. And so on knees with hands wailing in the air, we went to the rest of the world seeking help to end our calamity which had befallen the country.
The international community Including the United States of America, the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Nigeria, the World Health Organization, European Union, African Union and a host of other countries and International organizations came to our aid.
President Obama ordered the US military to troop in and save the day.
They came in town with all the necessary logistics to wade through the kinks of the virus.
China came with a battalion of the People Liberation Army (PLA) who set up a camp like a hospital at the SKD Stadium.
As donor support poured in which led to the winning of the virus and eventually ending its lifespan, many logistics were stored up for use in case of future disaster.
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) were among equipment and medical supplies including ambulances, gloves, hospital beds and disinfectants donated by the international community to combat the deadly disease.
Now the PPEs, worth millions of dollars have slipped out of the Ministry of Health, now on the market and being misused widely by motorcyclists and street vendors as rain gears.
When asked how the PPEs slipped out of the hands of the Ministry of Health, the Communication Director of the Ministry, Sobor George said MOH has launched an internal investigation to ascertain how the materials got in the hands of the public and warned that drastic actions will be taken against those responsible for the act.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has condemned the misuse of the PPE and threatened those involved to desist or face the full weight of the law.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 5, the Ministry called on the Liberia National Police to arrest and prosecute anyone seen wearing the PPEs and those selling the materials.
“The Ministry of Health has observed with total indignation that some unscrupulous individuals are mistaking the PPEs as rain gear and wearing them.
The ministry wants those involved to desist as the PPEs are not for such purpose.
The ministry is requesting the Liberia National Police to arrest and prosecute anyone seen wearing the PPEs including those marketing the material.
The PPEs are plastic white plastic materials produced in the form of raincoat.
They are not raincoat neither any form of rain gear for use by the public. The ministry will not condone the wearing of the PPEs by anyone or individual,” the release noted.
The Ministry’s statement came barely 24 hours after FrontPageAfrica in its editorial questioned how the PPEs slipped out of the hands of the Ministry of Health.
“We find this repugnant, to say the least, because though Ebola is no longer in Liberia, God forbids, there can be another outbreak due to, because of our weak health systems.
How did the PPEs get to leave the warehouses? Who are those in charge of these warehouses? Who are they conniving with?
These are pertinent questions the Ministry of Health needs to answer.
Liberia is not yet out of the woods Ebola when our health systems are not strong enough to battle an outbreak of any kind.
And yet the weapons we have to fight for any imminent battle are being sold for cheap.
The reality of Ebola has been lost on us. How soon we forget our recent past and act that all is well,” FPA wrote.