MONROVIA, October 2 (LINA) – A top official of the United Nations in Liberia, Ms. Karin Landgren, has encouraged President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to remain internationally engaged as it has yielded fruitful results in her leadership’s effort in the Ebola fight.

According to an Executive Mansion release, Landgren, who is the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to Liberia, made the statement Wednesday when she accompanied the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Ebola Response, Mr. Anthony Banbury during a courtesy visit paid President Sirleaf at her office.

Mr. Banbury, who is resident in Accra, Ghana, promised President Sirleaf that the UN Ebola fight would be integrated into the country’s national plan and strategy and agreed with President Sirleaf for Liberia to take ownership of the Ebola fight with the full participation of partners and tapping on their expertise.

He said the new UN agency, UN Mission on Ebola Response, as part of its terms of reference, will fill in gaps in the Ebola fight in consultation with the national strategy in order to prevent any form of duplication of an already existing strategy.

In response, President Sirleaf welcomed the creation of the UN Ebola Response office in Accra and encouraged the office to promote information exchange on the virus among affected countries.

President Sirleaf also urged the agency to support government in strengthening its rural outreach initiatives.
She named bad roads and under-reporting on the status of Ebola in the rural settings which has prevented government from moving in those areas to arrest any further spread.

“Affected people are leaving from urban areas and hiding out in remote communities. If we do not move in as quickly as possible, the virus would further spread in rural areas.
“This has led to all the 15 counties now reporting cases with those that had no case now reporting low number of cases,” President Sirleaf informed Mr. Bonbury.
LINA GDJ/TSS/PTK