Much news is being spread around locally and globally about the spread of the Monkey Virus commonly called MPox. It is mainly in Africa with a few cases in Europe. This is not the first time that the MPox has been found in Africa. So, the African health facilities have some experience in dealing with MPox. However, the spread of information about MPox is highly inadequate in African countries. It is useful that some media houses are calling for much more information about MPox, especially in terms of how to end it and how to prevent its recurrence.
By Togba-Nah Tipoteh
The spread of information about MPox is highly useful. Look at the example of Liberia, a country that had the highest number of the Ebola virus cases but became the first country to end the spread of the Ebola virus. The information about the Ebola virus was spread in Liberia mainly by community organizations, providing lessons about how to end the Ebola virus and how to prevent its recurrence. Another case is Nigeria, where through the spread of information about the Ebola, it ended the spread in two weeks, through the spread of awareness raising.
This Commentary takes advantage of the opportunity to spread awareness about ways to end MPox and prevent the recurrence of MPox disease. This disease is like small pox and it spreads through contact with humans and animals. Therefore, it is important to stay away from humans and animals, keeping a distance of at least one foot, washing hands and other body parts frequently and keeping in-house and surroundings clean.
We have a fundamental problem in Liberia that the Veteran Journalist Stanton Peabody called the Over Americanization of Liberia. The powers that be in Liberia promote western culture over Liberian culture. The Liberian villages are clean with no sanitation problem as the villagers clean their garbage early in the morning around four before going to the farm, having placed their toilets at one side and the cooking place on the other side. With the garbage dumps in Monrovia, no wonder Ambassadors to Liberia from seven western countries call Monrovia the dirtiest city in Africa.
But as Our Creator does not give any one a problem he or she cannot solve, all problems can be solved. All problems can be solved by raising awareness, through the Rule of Law, to transform the unfair prevailing electoral system to the fair enduring electoral system. It is only through this transformation that persons with good records can get elected to bring in the system of Justice, the indispensable ingredient for Peace and Progress in Liberia and in any other country.
