MONROVIA – Despite numerous challenges confronting health workers in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in Liberia, former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai has termed as “exceptional and outstanding” healthcare delivery and services being rendered to Covid-19 patients by doctors and nurses assigned at the 14 Military Hospital in the country.

Located in Schefflein, Margibi County, the 14 Military Hospital is one of the treatment centers to setup by the Government of Liberia (GOL) to treat persons diagnosed of Coronavirus.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Samukai, who is a senatorial aspirant of Lofa County, was diagnosed of Covid-19 and treated at the hospital.

Speaking in an interview with FrontPageAfrica on Monday, July 20, Mr. Samukai disclosed that nurses and doctors normally had sleepless nights by consistently checking on patients and ensuring that the right treatments and others are accorded them

“I was received by two very professional persons who took me to my room. The people at the gate of the 14 Military Hospital were very professional. The doctors are outstanding; the nurses are very exceptional; they take care of you throughout the process”.

“Throughout the day and night, they are in the room making sure; checking on you and checking your temperature. They were giving everyone admitted in the room the same kind of preference to treatment including Liberians and foreigners. They go from room to room doing the same”.

Mr. Samukai added that food, water and other basic necessities where provided in a timely manner by the health workers without being requested by those who were diagnosed and treated along with him at the hospital.

“They had hygienists making sure about the kind of food you eating; making sure your room and bathroom was properly clean. They cleaned the room between three to four times a day. Some professional people were there. I was sick and needed care. These people provided me all of the support and I am very thankful to all of the doctors, nurses, the hygienists, therapists, cleaners and technicians. These people worked 24/7 in that white suit to take care of you”.

Covid-19 exists

Mr. Samukai further urged Liberians doubting the existence of the virus to desist.

He noted that though there is low percentage of individuals that are severely affected from Coronavirus around the world, Liberians should do away from living in a state of denial and believe that the virus is in the country.

Mr. Samukai recalled that at the 14 Military Hospital, there were patients who had Covid-19 but look very healthy as compare to others who were sick, weak and tired at the facility.

He added that both patients that were critical, and others who were not, were shown care and concern by the health workers, including doctors and nurses.

 “For the 12 days I was at the 14 Military Hospital, not a single person die. All of us admitted at the same time came out at the same time and we were very, very healthy”.

“The disease exists and I am evidence of that. The testing is slow, but in the end, the result will come. The decision of going to any of the treatment facilities is your best chance to survive. The more you stay outside, the more you will transfer the virus to someone else. If you get sick, get tested. These politicians and people who make noise on Facebook; if they get the guts-let they go and take the test”.

Mr. Brownie Samukai, Former Minister of Defense

No specific treatment

Mr. Samukai further recalled that no specific treatment was provided by doctors and nurses to cure Covid-19 when he was admitted at the facility.

According to him, symptoms of the virus that appear on a patient were being treated immediately by the doctors and nurses.

“Coronavirus has no specific vaccine or cure. However, they work on the symptom that appears. When you start to cough, they give you something to boost your immune system or something for infections or oxygen if you don’t have sufficient oxygen. If it is headache or stomach, they will deal with it”.

Mr. Samukai, however, disclosed that multiple tests were done prior to his release from the hospital.

He added that though doctors and nurses are faced with logistical and human resource constraints, the 14 Military Hospital remains outstanding to seek medical treatment if one is diagnosed of the virus.

“Health workers are dedicated but they need all of the support. Let’s support their works”.

Go take your test

Meanwhile, the former Minister of National Defense has urged Liberians to continue to follow health protocols, including washing of hands frequently, social distancing, and wearing of face masks, among others.

He urged politicians to refrain from politicizing the outbreak of Covid-19 in Liberia and support the efforts of health workers by voluntarily turning out to take their test.

Mr. Samukai maintained that health workers at the facility are professional and caring, and as such, politicians should not panic over submitting themselves for testing.

“The disease exists and I am evidence of that. The testing is slow, but in the end, the result will come. The decision of going to any of the treatment facilities is your best chance to survive. The more you stay outside, the more you will transfer the virus to someone else. If you get sick, get tested. These politicians and people who make noise on Facebook; if they get the guts-let they go and take the test”.

MONROVIA – Liberia is short of two cases to hit 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and the country continues to experience a rapid increase in the number of new infections.

Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com

On Friday, July 10, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) reported a total of 998 confirmed cases. Thirty-five of that number were new cases. The day before, there were 963 cases and just were new infections. And on July 8, the cases were 957.

Liberia continued to experience a surge in the number of infections upon the gradual relaxation of restrictions.

The government has not been able to get a second approved state of emergency from the Legislature since declared by President George Weah over a fortnight ago.

The proclamation for the extension of the state of emergency states: “WHEREAS, clearly, notwithstanding all the efforts of the Government to control the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on our people, especially the SOE declaration and its associated protocols to include restrictions on movement of people, social distancing and wearing of masks, the number of people infected by Covid-19 pandemic has exponentially increased since the SOE Declaration. This obviously necessitates the extension of the SOE for another period of thirty (30) days, during which the Government will re-examine its response strategy to Covid-19 pandemic and introduce a program of action to better secure and protect the Liberian people against this dreadful scourge; and,…”

State of Emergency Dilemma

On Tuesday, June 7, the House of Representatives failed to attain a quorum to deliberate the President’s request for the extension of the state of emergency which in the President’s wisdom would afford him the powers to further restrict some rights in order to control the spread of new infections.

Although it has not been established whether the members deliberately refused to attend session, several lawmakers including members of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) Legislative Caucus earlier called for the revocation of the State of Emergency because it has passed the constitutional deadline for legislative approval.

The CPP, in the a press conference recently said: “We, as members of the CPP Legislative Caucus wish to bring to the attention of the Liberian people that the State of Emergency as announced by the President of the Republic of Liberia on June 22, 2020 for a 30-day extension has not yet been passed by the National Legislature, as such, it has passed the maximum constitutional time frame to be enforced as provided for in Article 88.”

According to the lawmakers, the 72-hour deadline has passed and the Legislature, comprising both Houses of Representatives and Senate has not acted on the President’s proclamation, and as such, they would institute measures to ensure the revocation of the state of emergency.

Some had earlier threatened to boycott session in protest of the President’s ‘flagrant’ violation of the Constitution.

But the Minster of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism Lenn Eugene Nagbe, challenged members of the CPP Legislative Caucus to institute legal action against the second state of emergency declared by President Weah to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country, if they are dissatisfied.

Minister Nagbe, appearing as guest on the OK Morning Rush Show on OK FM 99.5 in Monrovia on Monday, July 6, challenged the opposition lawmakers to use the court instead of planning to stage a protest or walk out action against the move made by the Liberian Chief Executive to declare a state of emergency for additional 30 days.

“If any member, whether from the CPP or any Liberian believes that there is a violation of the constitution by the President submitting the SOE request to the Legislature, there is an avenue under our constitution and democratic dispensation for you to ask the Supreme Court to interpret because it is a matter of understanding and comprehending what the constitution says”.

Pushing for Voluntary Testing

Liberia’s health minister, Dr. Wilhemina Jallah has been calling on citizens to avail themselves for testing, noting that such would help citizens get early medical attention and stop the spread of new infections.

She also urged Liberians not to take for granted the health protocols instituted by the Ministry of Health and NPHIL.

“With the wearing of masks, including the regular washing of hands, social distancing and go home early, the country can make a big difference in curbing the spread of the disease,” Minister Jallah emphasized, adding that Liberia will only defeat COVID-19 through the involvement of everyone.

This, according to her, must include community leaders and residents themselves as well as various stakeholders, adding that it would be unhealthy for a single Liberian to risk his or her life by disobeying the preventive measures.

“The virus is here, so we must all work as a people in unity to defeat this virus,” the Health Minister said.

“With the wearing of masks, including the regular washing of hands, social distancing and go home early, the country can make a big difference in curbing the spread of the disease”

– Dr. Wilhemina Jallah, Minister of Health

Nurses ‘Playing Careless’

Dr. Jallah further disclosed that the infection rate of COVID-19 among nurses will continue to increase unless nurses themselves start to believe that the virus is real and it exists in Liberia. She warned health workers to abide by health protocols.

During a Senate appearance on Wednesday, she informed Senators that some health workers are still in doubt and denial about the existence of the coronavirus and are being “careless” in how they handle their patents at various health centers.

Minister Jallah: “Some of them don’t believe that COVID-19 exists in the country, some are not practicing all of the hand hygiene, and health measures, some are taking care of patients at home in small clinics. Some of them are being infected from their own private institutions but we have been working with healthcare workers to ensure that we review what they already know in terms of hygiene and precautionary measures.

“We have gotten together some algorithm (procedure) that they can use on any patient that comes in to be able to have a check list where they can determine the symptoms of COVID-19. We are constantly working with health care working along with our partners. We are constantly sending materials to the counties to ensure that the infection rate.  We are constantly on zoom calls.”

Responding to question about what kind of treatment is being given to people infected with COVID-19 and taken to the 14 Military Hospital and other health centers in Liberia she said, “One of the reasons we move people from their homes to the treatment unit is to isolate them. In the Military Hospital, we have an ICU and also in the UNION hospital. If people were honest enough to stay in their homes we will allow them to stay in their homes.”

She also told lawmakers the imposition of the first state of emergency saw a sharp decline in the cases of COVID-19. “After the first phase of the state of emergency we noticed a sharp declined, because people were abiding by the protocol, there were limited movement, people staying off the streets after 3:00. But when the second phase of the state of emergency was announced and curfew extended to 6;00 pm people thought they were okay so they stop wearing masks.”

MONROVIA – Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah says, the infection rate of COVID-19 among nurses will continue to increase unless nurses themselves start to believe that the virus is real and it exists in Liberia. She warned health workers to abide by health protocols.

During a Senate appearance on Wednesday, she informed Senators that some health workers are still in doubt and denial about the existence of the coronavirus and are being “careless” in how they handle their patents at various health centers.

Minister Jallah: “Some of them don’t believe that COVID-19 exists in the country, some are not practicing all of the hand hygiene, and health measures, some are taking care of patients at home in small clinics. Some of them are being infected from their own private institutions but we have been working with healthcare workers to ensure that we review what they already know in terms of hygiene and precautionary measures.

“We have gotten together some algorithm (procedure) that they can use on any patient that comes in to be able to have a check list where they can determine the symptoms of COVID-19. We are constantly working with health care working along with our partners. We are constantly sending materials to the counties to ensure that the infection rate.  We are constantly on zoom calls.”

“Some of them don’t believe that COVID-19 exists in the country, some are not practicing all of the hand hygiene, and health measures, some are taking care of patients at home in small clinics. Some of them are being infected from their own private institutions but we have been working with healthcare workers to ensure that we review what they already know in terms of hygiene and precautionary measures.”

– Dr. Wilhemina Jallah, Minister of Health

Responding to question about what kind of treatment is being given to people infected with COVID-19 and taken to the 14 Military Hospital and other health centers in Liberia she said, “One of the reasons we move people from their homes to the treatment unit is to isolate them. In the Military Hospital, we have an ICU and also in the UNION hospital. If people were honest enough to stay in their homes we will allow them to stay in their homes.”

She also told lawmakers the imposition of the first state of emergency saw a sharp decline in the cases of COVID-19. “After the first phase of the state of emergency we noticed a sharp declined, because people were abiding by the protocol, there were limited movement, people staying off the streets after 3:00. But when the second phase of the state of emergency was announced and curfew extended to 6;00 pm people thought they were okay so they stop wearing masks.”

Asked whether it is possible to conduct testing for every citizen, the head of the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) Dr. Mosaka Fallah said it is s impossible to test everyone in Liberia, firstly the cost for testing and the duration to do one test cannot allow Liberia to do it.

Currently, Liberia has 102 healthcare workers infected with COVID-19, the total death rate of COVID-19 is at 41. The Country also has 13 of its 15 counties responding to COVID-19.

Montserrado, Bong and Nimba Counties have become epic centers with more than two or three hotspots in each county.

In March of this year, Liberia’s COVID-19 cases were at three. In April it was at 149 and in May it was at 144, and the number rose to 508 in June. According to the Liberia’s Health Minister study has shown that male are 2/3rd more affected then female in the age range less than 15 with increase rate. “In the beginning, the cases were mostly diagnosed in the order folks but now the disease is going to the younger ages.”

During the Senate appearance, the Health Minister also informed Lawmakers that 80% of people affected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic meaning (they walk around without showing any symptoms of the disease) but are capable of infecting people they come in contact with.

“So, they walk around not knowing they have COVID-19 and spread the disease. The fact that Liberia along with the rest of the African countries have a predominantly young population you will see why we have those people infecting the other people. 

Montserrado County – Lack of adequate preventive materials at public high schools in rural Montserrado County is posing challenge for the effective prevention of COVID-19.

Some school administrators have told FrongtPageAfrica that although some students have managed to purchase nose masks, the lack of hand washing materials like soap and disinfectants is exposing students to the risk of contracting the disease.

During a tour of Kingsville Public School in Number 7, Frank E. Tolbert Public School in Bensonville, Oluremi Tinudu Elementary and Senior High School in Mount Barclay and the Careysburg Public School, it was observed that these schools’ handwashing facilities had no soap or detergent.

At the same time, some students were seen not observing the social distancing measure while others were not wearing nose mask.

These schools are currently operating without thermometer which should be used to check the daily temperature of students.

At the same time, two of the four schools ended classes before 1:00pm, contrary to Ministry of Education’s 2 pm deadline for instructional period.

Even though, according to one of the administrators, they have bucket for washing hands, the government has not supplied preventive materials to these schools.

Mohammed Bongloh is afraid that students are at risk because they are from different homes and are interacting with others.

“It’s very unfortunate that since we were told that government was bringing preventive materials to us, we have not seen them, and school has to go on. So, we can just try to buy one or two bags of soap daily for students to wash their hands,” Mr. Bongloh noted.

“We are talking to the students and we told them that if no one has on his or her nose mask that person will not enter the fence, but still some are stubborn. The worst thing is that, we are telling them to wash their hands with soap and water but the water we have has no sufficient soap. We are still awaiting MOE to come in.”

Another administrator, who preferred anonymity due to risk of losing his job, added: “No one has brought anything here. I am even afraid to come, but I am forced to do it, because this is where I’m getting my daily bread. But the students are exposed and if one of them contract most of them will be infected.”

He continued: “We are talking with the students, but as soon they get to class, they start to do their own things and even on campus, not all of them will adhered to the measure.”

Meanwhile, the students themselves are dissatisfied due to the lack of preventive materials at their schools.

“We are talking to the students and we told them that if no one has on his or her nose mask that person will not enter the fence, but still some are stubborn. The worst thing is that we are telling them to wash their hands with soap and water but the water we have has no sufficient soap. We are still awaiting MOE to come in.”

Mohammed Bongloh, School Administrator

Student Muna S. Yarr of the Frank E. Tolbert High School said: “We are washing our hands with pure water and nothing in it like soap; only water we use to wash it and there is no hand-gloves when we are washing the bathroom and no detergent for the bathroom.”

One major problem is the refusal of students to abide by the preventive measures including social distancing during recess period, some administrators said.

But the students say they are taking precaution by washing their hands despite the impossibility of practicing social distancing.

Christian Sekpeh, a student of the Careysburg Public School, said: “Most of us do have sanitizer and some people do wash their hand when we mistakenly touch others.”

“We want government to come in with some materials for our school like soap, nose mask and detergents.”

Amid these concerns at public schools, private schools, on the other hand, had put in place some protocols including handwashing facilities, but administrators of these schools are also calling on the government to compliment their efforts.

According to Rev. John Jallah, Principal of the Confidence High School in Fendall, purchasing detergents and other preventive material is posing financial constraint for the school.

For Jackson Duah, Dean of Students of the Lucy B. Gibson High School in Mt. Barclay, the government should provide subsidies for private schools to help boost the prevention of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Education has declined to respond to FPA inquiry about the situation at these schools.

MONROVIA – A renowned Liberian civil society activist has explained her “harsh experience” after she was diagnosed Covid-19 positive, treated and recovered at home, instead of a treatment facility.

Madam Maima Robinson disclosed that she came down with Covid-19 in the first week of June and didn’t know that she had contracted the virus until three days into her illness.

She pointed out that she previously thought that the illness was malaria, because the symptoms are almost similar to Covid-19, but somehow different.

Madam Robinson named the loss of her sense of smelling and tasting without coming down with running nose or cold as the first symptoms she experienced while lying on her sick bed.

She added that she later had high fever, experienced very heavy body pains which were unbearable and fatigue that left her feeling very weak  for three days.

Robinson: “I quickly contacted my doctor who ran malaria test and advised that I start the malaria treatment at once which I did. I took the malaria treatment for three days but we never succeeded in controlling the fever.  With no delay, my doctor asked me few questions all my answers pointed to active COVI-19.

“He immediately asked me to isolate myself from my kids and every other person at home, which I did. Then I started the coronavirus treatment (the Liberian way). Which include high antibiotics (with help from my RN) and hot ginger juice, hot lemon juice, cubes of garlic in every glass of warm water and coconut water 5 times a day each except for the water which was more frequent”.

She indicated that despite the severe body pains and fever, she later started to experience severe coughing.

“I coughed and coughed till I felt my bellybutton popping out in pains as if that was not enough. I coughed and coughed till I started bleeding like I had a miscarriage. It continued for days and the second week ended. I quickly added to my treatment blood tonic, potatoes greens water, cough syrup and multivitamin. My saliva dried out of my mouth completely for days. I was only surviving on water and the treatment. I lost appetite”.

She noted that the coughing kept on until she started to encounter shortness of breath, adding that, “as I coughed, I fought for my breath”.

She pointed out that though she almost gave out the ghost, looking at her kids during the time of her illness kept her “holding on”.

“I remember the day I told my kids I had the coronavirus, it appears like it was judgement day in my house. I had to talk them into accepting the reality. I further instructed my kids on what to get for me at the same time I told them what to do to keep safe. They followed every instruction I gave them. The bigger once would go on the internet and read on the prevention methods at the same time they were observing all the health protocols as they cared for me. My kids brave the storms and took care of me without contacting the virus”.

According to her, neither the doctor nor her children contracted the disease.

She continued: “For days they looked at me as I struggled to breathe, the pains, the fever and the weakness. Thankfully my RN discovered a drug, and that drug through the mercy of God helped me a lot, I slept for the first time in three weeks after the first dose of that drug. And from that day the fever gradually came down, the body pains eased, the coughing slowly stopped and I started to recover. That was the last week in June”.

Madam Robinson disclosed that while she was fighting for her life and the lives of her kids, she was also engaged into doing contact tracing, not only to know how she contracted the virus, but to encourage the person whom she contracted the virus from to accept it and seek help instead of spreading it further.

“I was of the conviction that not everyone will be like me to announce that they had the virus. I believe I survived the virus firstly by the grace of God and because I accepted the reality and immediately started my self treatment.

“I coughed and coughed till I felt my bellybutton popping out in pains as if that was not enough. I coughed and coughed till I started bleeding like I had a miscarriage. It continued for days and the second week ended. I quickly added to my treatment blood tonic, potatoes greens water, cough syrup and multivitamin. My saliva dried out of my mouth completely for days. I was only surviving on water and the treatment. I lost appetite”.

– Maima Robinson, COVID-19 Survivor

Shunning Covid-19 treatment center

Speaking further, Madam Robinson pointed out that she prioritized self-treatment and isolation immediately after she was diagnosed of the virus instead of reporting herself to be taken to Coronavirus Treatment Center.

She clarified that her decision taken to seek self-treatment was not in any way intended to disrespect the government or the national taskforce on Covid-19, but she just “didn’t find it fit to turn myself in judging from all of the conversations around the street corners”.

The source

Madam Robinson stated that though she has obeyed all of the measures put in place by health authorities to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus since the outbreak of the virus, her self-contact tracing methods implored unearthed that every single person she came in contact with are all safe.

She disclosed that she contracted the virus from her daughter.

“My daughter first contracted the virus and passed it to me, and by all means our facts finding shows she got it from handling money. Touching of money! She often handled money in the house. Interestingly the virus didn’t treat her bad as it did me. At the time she had it I wasn’t too sure but I treated her and she fully recovered, two days after that I came down with the virus. The good news is I’m well now and back to work for the first time today”

Madam Robinson, however, used this medium to urge citizens to desist from doubting the existence of Covid-19 in Liberia.

She encouraged Liberians and others residing in the country to continue to follow the health protocols to ensure that Coronavirus is totally eradicated from the country.

“Please! My people the Coronavirus is real and it’s in Liberia! You never want to experience what I went through. You may not be as bless as I was to survive it. No wonder research has proven that the older folks are more vulnerable to the virus. Now I understand why, they just can’t stand the pains.

Please do all you can to stay safe”. 

Madam Robinson maintained: “I am completely out of words and don’t know where to start from but with tears in my eyes and with a thankful heart to God I announce to you that I just survived the COVID19!

.

Monrovia – Mr. Brownie Samukai has admonished all those who may have come into contact with him in recent time to submit themselves for COVID-19 test, as he has tested positive for coronavirus.

The former defense minister made the call on Facebook where he announced his status.

He wrote: “On Sunday 28 June, I took the bold step of testing for COVID-19. On Tuesday 30 June my result came back POSITIVE. I will be going to the 14th Military hospital as required by NPHIL.

I urge others who may have been in close proximity with me in recent times to kindly volunteer to do your testing. At this time I will not be responding nor chatting on social media.

Thanks for your understanding.”

Liberia has in recent experienced a spike in the number of cases.

As of June 30, Liberia had recorded 780 confirmed cases of which 420 active cases. There are 1,181 contacts that are under follow-up by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia.

Monrovia – The Agape Love Foundation (ALF), a not-for-profit humanitarian organization, over the weekend made a huge donation of several food and non-food items to orphanages. Along with their donations, the ALF also urged everyone to abide by all health protocols, including security restrictions aimed at stamping the transmission of the deadly Covid-19 disease.

Making the donation during the launch of the organization, ALF’s Executive Director, Mrs. Pastor Emmele Purity Walker, said the donation comes as the organization’s way of buttressing government’s persistent fight in eradicating the Coronavirus disease from Liberia. Pastor Walker further stated that it is also intended to caring for the underprivileged, who cannot feed themselves during these times.

She promised not to raise money at the detriment of struggling Liberians.

The ALF Executive Director noted that the love expressed to her people is the agape love that is unconditional. According to her, this among other things talks about sharing; adding: “Whoever does not love God does not know God, because God is love. Therefore, endless love is the motto of our strength.”

Items donated included 400 bags of 25-kg rice, 300 pairs of slippers, 150 packs of toothpaste, 300 pieces of soap, 50 bed sheets, 500 pieces of lappas, 700 gallons of one-liter container of Argo oil, gari, sugar, biscuits, candy, copybooks,  150 book bags, sanitary pads, amongst others.

Pastor Walker wants the donation to put smile on the faces of the less fortunate during these troubling times.

She admonished heads of the orphanages where the donation were made to use the items for the purposes intended.

She furthered that, as a woman of God, her calling is to help all regardless of who those being helped are.

During the donation, Pastor Walker urged everyone to do all to strictly adhere to all the health protocols, including joint security personnel’s measures in other to prevent and eliminate Covid-19 from Liberia

She lauded the government for its fight against the pandemic that has reportedly claimed the lives of 35 persons in Liberia, and prays that the country returns to normality very soon.

Also speaking, the Board Chairman of the organization, Mr. Stanley Walker, thanked ALF’s staff members, including the Executive Director, for the support and commitment to the people of Liberia.

Mr. Walker stated that ALF intends to be a humanitarian organization and not political as others have used donations to gain or pave the ways for political powers.

According to him, ALF puts love for country first; adding: “This is not to show up, but genuinely identifying with our people as a new birth institution.”

He called on Liberians to rally support for the Weah-led administration so that the country can succeed.

He expressed his profound gratitude and heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the organization for selecting June 26, 2020 his birthday as the launch date.

Monrovia – Liberia has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases to be reported in a single day since the deadly contagious disease was first reported in the Western African country on March 16, 2020.

By Selma Lomax, Selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com

On Saturday, June 27, 2020, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) confirmed 45 new COVID-19 cases nationwide, 37 news cases in Monsterrado County alone.

Montserrado is the most populated county in the country.

Including the new cases, the tally of the COVID-19 cases has reached 729 with 34 infected people dead and 291 patients recovered, according to NPHIL.

Liberia’s 60-day lockdown ended on June 21 and, meanwhile, President George Mannah Weah has announced a second phase one-month lockdown through June 30.

New regulations include a State of Emergency from 6PM to 6AM, managed access to markets and mandatory use of face masks, and mandatory provision of sanitizers and hand washing facilities in public.

The pandemic has killed nearly over 412,000 people worldwide, with total infections exceeding 7.25 million, while some 3.39 million people have recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by US’ Johns Hopkins University.

MONROVIA – The coronavirus pandemic poses serious threats to democracy. Many governments around the world have assembled emergency powers that restrict human rights and enhance state surveillance, often disregarding legal constraints, checks and balances, and time frames for restoring constitutional order.

That is the key message in “A Call to Defend Democracy”, an Open Letter initiated by the Stockholm-based International IDEA and the Washington-DC-based National Endowment for Democracy and supported by 73 pro-democracy institutions as well as political and civic leaders around the world, including 13 Nobel Laureates and 62 former heads of state and government.

The letter is aimed at raising awareness and mobilizing citizens and policymakers to protect democracy–recognizing that this is the most effective system for handling global crises while protecting the rights of all citizens, particularly minorities and vulnerable groups.   

“The current pandemic represents a formidable global challenge to democracy. Authoritarian leaders around the world see the COVID-19 crisis as a new political battleground in their fight to stigmatize democracy as feeble and reverse its dramatic gains of the past few decades,” the letter states.

“Democracy is under threat, and people who care about it must summon the will, the discipline, and the solidarity to defend it. At stake are the freedom, health, and dignity of people everywhere”.

While it is unsurprising that authoritarian regimes are using the crisis to tighten their grip on power, some democracies have also introduced emergency powers without the necessary safeguards to ensure measures can be rolled back, the letter says.

“This unprecedented demonstration of global solidarity is a sign that democracy, while threatened, is also resilient,” says Carl Gershman, President of the National Endowment for Democracy and one of the signatories.

The pandemic and the global movement for racial equality have shown that democracy is more important than ever.

Democracy allows for civil society to mobilize, for inequalities to be confronted, for policy issues to be openly debated, for trustworthy information to flow freely, and governments to be accountable to citizens—all essential tools for successfully dealing with the current public health emergency and its consequences.  

“Now is the time when all of us must stand up for democracy. We need to make it clear to everyone what is at stake and that we will not allow leaders with authoritarian tendencies to use this or other crises to increase their power and decrease our rights. We need to defend democracy—whether in the ballot box, in the media or on the streets. This is what the letter is about,” says Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA.

The current Covid-19 has brought the entire world to a standstill. Economies in Africa will shrink by at least 2-3 percent according to the most optimistic predictions. It took the continent tremendous work and discipline to reach this level of growth. The continent contained 6  of the 10 fastest economies in the world and three of those (Senegal, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire) were in West Africa. That progress has been stopped and will be reversed, plunging the sub-region into a new tunnel of social and economic challenges.

By Abdoulaye W Dukulé, adukule@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer

The ECOWAS region is not immune to the global calamity. Beyond the health crisis that is still growing alarmingly in several countries, the community faces serious security threats linked both to terrorism, environmental issues as well as governance. The jihadists have totally destabilized northern Mali, making the Sahara region ungovernable.

Almost a decade ago, Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré was overthrown by soldiers who claimed that he had taken strong stands against the rebellion in the north. Governments came and went but the rebellions extended to central Mali, entered Burkina Faso and just two weeks ago, carried out its first attack on the Burkina Faso-Cote d’Ivoire border, killing 12 soldiers before evaporating in thin air. 

Notwithstanding the presence of French and American forces, with the UN in the midst, who joined ECOWAS forces merged with  Chadian military, the jihadists continue to expand their reach southward. Fighters travel back and forth between the Libyan fronts (where they are handsomely rewarded) and the ECOWAS region. Meanwhile, around the Lake Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad are engaged in a hit-and-run battle with Boko Haram which is moving northward. As it was very predictable on the onset, the Sahara jihadists and Boko Haram have connected. Two different groups of Boko Haram have linked up with sections of the jihadists linked to ISIS or Al Qaeda in the region of Lake Chad. 

The intervention of foreign troops seems to have only added another layer to the political confusion and lack of coordination and resolve in the fight against the terrorists, turning the region into a military playground. France, since De Gaulle in 1959, has long been trying to get a foothold in the Sahara, and now the instability provides a clear path to the area. Its military presence further strengthen its hold over former colonies. The US is in or out, depending on the days and its presence was only known after American military casualties were reported. The Sahara may provide an ideal training ground for military actions in the Middle East.

On the political front, things are not any better. Mali is in a turmoil. Opposition parties and a popular Imam joining forces with the Union of Patriots (aka the June 5th Movement) to call for the resignation of the President. ECOWAS’s President and four West African Ministers of Foreign Affairs flew into Mali to intervene, but the opposition rejected any notion of unity government. In Cote d’Ivoire, six months to the presidential elections of October 2020, uncertainties are clouding the political space because of the exclusion of powerful opposition leaders, such as former President Laurent Gbagbo and former President of the Assembly Soro
Guillaume, both indicted and sentenced to prison terms and living in exile.

In Guinea, referendum and constitutional reforms were held in a violence-filled atmosphere during the pandemic. President Alpha Condé seems bent to force walk his way into the next presidential elections although term limits forbids him. Guinea Bissau and Liberia are also facing both governance and economic challenges – Liberia just earned the unenviable title of poorest nation on earth – that could become destabilizing while narco-politics is still crippling Guinea Bissau. Elections are also scheduled in Ghana and Burkina Faso, all potential sources of tension.

The community seems not to have drawn lessons from Ebola to create a regional response to pandemics. Although the West African Health Organization (WAHO) did a great job in fighting Ebola, it became dormant and there was no further concerted effort to build regional health structure. Covid-19 cases have been high in a few countries and number rising in others.  There have been consultations through video Summits but there is no consensus on approach. Numbers are low, compared to other parts of the continent and community responses have been positive. Another important health issue is that, from Dakar to Abuja, markets are infested with fake and dangerous fake medicine. Hopefully, the pandemic will force reflections and decisions on health.  

To top the list, the advancing Sahara Desert is creating a population exodus from the arid north towards the south, leading to communal conflicts have turned violent in Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. These hot spots could and will impact the stability of the entire region, especially when regarding foot security.  Drug trafficking is also becoming a serious calamity, with South American drug lords using fragile and corrupt security systems to use the region as a transit point to Europe and the US.

ECOWAS was just about to embark on historic steps by embracing one currency, liberalizing trade amongst community members and making headways towards integration but the combined effects of governance issues and the Covid-19 could reverse the progress.

Of course, all of this can be stopped and overturned, because it is all made man, except the Sahara and Covid-19, which can also be managed.