She also said Liberia has begun to see progress with the support of the international community and is eager to see stabilization of the situation so that the economy that has been hard hit by the epidemic will be resuscitated.
According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader made the call Wednesday when a high-power United States delegation headed by Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Lumpkin paid a courtesy call on her at her office in Monrovia.
She told the American delegation that their presence has made a huge difference, and hoped that with the intervention of other friendly governments, Liberia will soon record the Ebola outbreak as history.
President Sirleaf added that government in collaboration with national and international partners has now formulated a common strategy which is working well.
Responding, Assistant Secretary of Defense Lumpkin said the United States sees the eradication of the Ebola virus as paramount and urgent, noting that the US will work with Liberian authorities in achieving this goal.
Lumpkin noted that he has felt and seen the courage of the Liberian people in fighting the virus, adding that their eagerness to return to normalcy should be supported by the international community.
Secretary Lumpkin also pointed out that the United States sees the eradication of the Ebola disease as paramount and urgent, and will work with Liberian authorities in achieving this goal.
Hailing President Sirleaf’s international engagements since the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, the American official said the delegation’s presence in Monrovia was further demonstration of the US Government’s commitment to help Liberia fight the deadly virus, emphasizing that they will remain closely engaged as all fight together in eradicating the disease.
He assured the Liberian leader that the US military has already begun working with their Liberian counterparts to carry out the construction of Ebola Treatment Units across the country.
Mr. Lumpkin said he foresees tremendous progress in the Ebola fight with the level of cooperation between Liberians and Americans, and called for more collaborative efforts towards the Ebola eradication goal.
At the occasion, Finance and Development Planning Minister Amara Konneh and Defense Minister Brownie Samukai, briefed the delegation on the economic outlook and the Armed Force of Liberia (AFL) involvement in the Ebola fight.
Minister Konneh thanked the US Government for the US$5million dollar budget support as health workers’ incentives but pleaded for more budgetary support as that amount would only take the health workers’ incentive payment up to January 2015.
Other members of the delegation who met with President Sirleaf included United States Agency for International Development assistant administrator, Nancy Linborg; DART team leader, William Berger; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Thomas Kenyon; policy advisor Denise Marsh; USAID mission director, John Mark Winfield; and economic officer Eric Johnson. They were accompanied by US Ambassador Deborah Malac.
LINA GDJ/TSS/PTK