Making the disclosure at a press conference at UNMIL headquarters in Monrovia recently, United Nations Special Representative to Liberia, Ms. Karin Landgren, attributed the decision to the rapid speed at which the virus is spreading in Liberia and the world.

She said Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone and the world are experiencing an unprecedented outbreak of the virus and as such, UNMIL is providing extraordinary support to the three affected West African countries to help stop the spread of the disease.

The UN envoy pointed out that the issue of Ebola, especially in Liberia, needs urgent redress and support to reawaken and revive the economy and other vital sectors.

Landgren pointed out that UNMIL and the entire UN System will only provide food and other basic health services to quarantined communities and not security, as is being widely speculated.

She noted that the security of the country, including all quarantined communities, rest in the hands of the Government and that UNMIL is only providing logistics and training support to the security sector

Landgren called on Liberians to rally around the Government and international partners in containing the virus with understanding and commitment, adding, “The Government and its partners cannot do it alone.”

Meanwhile, the U.N Special Representative has called for speedy investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of the one Shaki Kamara during the recent standoff between security personnel and residents of West Point by the board of inquiry set up by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

In a related development, the Senior UN System Coordinator for Ebola, Dr. David Nabarro, has called on the Government to increase the power of her response not only to curb the spread of Ebola but to resuscitate the economy and revamp peace and security in the sub-region.

Dr. Nabarro said considering the rapid spread of the virus in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, it will take the governments of the three countries approximately six to nine months to eradicate the virus from the sub-region.
LINAPSN/JGT/TSS/PTK