In an overview of the Ebola response and health activities of the county they provided President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Saturday at the C. H. Rennie Hospital in Kakata, the Acting County Health Officer and the Technical Assistant to the County Health Team, Doctors Adolphus Yeiah and Francis Kateh, said out of the 160 cases, 59 are probable, 63 suspected, 38 confirmed with 48 deaths.

They told the Liberian leader that since Dolo’s Town was quarantined, a total of 19 Ebola cases have been transferred from the town to the ELWA Treatment Center.

Giving an analysis of the percentage of cases per district in Margibi County, the health officers said the Kakata Health District recorded a total of 78 cases, amounting to 49%, Mamba-Kaba, 53, amounting to 33%, Firestone Health District, 21 cases or 13% and Gibi District 8 cases, amounting to 5%.

The county Ebola Task Force is headed by the Superintendent of the county, while the incident Management Team is headed by the County Health Officer.

Meanwhile, the two officials have disclosed that the Margibi County health care delivery system is saddled with many challenges, ranging from the closure of public health facilities in the county, low morale among health workers and lack of vehicles to adequately respond to Ebola cases when reported.

They also cited the lack of a treatment and observation center to exclusively cater to Ebola cases in the county as another major challenge confronting the Margibi healthcare system.

Speaking further on the health situation of the county, doctors Yeiah and Kateh said with the constitution of the County Ebola Task Force and the Incident Management Team, they are heavily relying on authorities of these institutions to carry out the dissemination of Ebola messages throughout Margibi County.

This, according to them, has translated into a very strong community-based and grassroots support to the entire process now making it easier to combat the deadly Ebola virus in the county.

They disclosed that currently a total of 150 General Community Health Volunteers in the four Health Districts of Margibi County are also helping to do contact tracing, while there are case investigation teams with ambulances to respond to Ebola cases in the communities.

They lauded efforts by government thus far, but called for more support to enable the county health team effectively respond to the health needs of the people of Margibi County.

“If more logistical support and essential drugs were available, the fight against the Ebola pandemic will be won in the shortest possible time,” the two doctors said.
LINA RDB/TSS/PTK