May 10 (LINA)-–The African Union Commission (AUC)Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has congratulated Liberia on being certified by the World Health Organization as Ebola-free.
“This is a victory for the people and Government of Liberia, and a victory of all Africans and the international community, who rallied in solidarity to support them in this fight”, Dr. Dlamini-Zuma added.
According to an AUC dispatch from Addis Ababa Saturday, the African Union Commission Chair however noted that although there may be a great improvement in combatting the pandemic, the global community must understand that the fight against Ebola is not yet over.
She stressed the need for the continuous strengthening of the health care and surveillance systems, noting that this is paramount to responding to the disease until the African continent is totally free
of the virus.
“This success gives us, as Africans, great pleasure to see Liberia Ebola free; it is testament to the notion that if we stand together as a continent, we can achieve great things for Africa and in this case,
defeating the Ebola virus in one of the most affected countries in West Africa,” Dr. Zuma emphasized.
She noted that the day is a particularly significant day for the African Union which, through its African Union Mission to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) sent 300 qualified African health
workers to treat and care for Ebola victims in Liberia alone.
She disclosed that ASEOWA has contributed over 800 health workers to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and has also played a great part in rebuilding the health systems of the affected countries.
LINA/PSN/TSS