Monrovia 31 July 2014 – The Government of Liberia on yesterday launched the Operational Plan to accelerate the response to control the on-going outbreak of Ebola in the country, which requires $20.9 million to invest in the response for the next six months.

The Operational Plan, which was elaborated with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), was presented to the United Nations (UN) agencies as well as the partners who are currently working on the response. The amount required will help to strength the activities to stop the spread of Ebola and control the outbreak, with the support of WHO, UN, partners and non-governmental organizations. The plan includes actions on the main areas of work such as case management, laboratory testing, infection control, psychosocial support and massive outreach to educate the public and change behaviors that spread the disease. 

The WHO Country Representative, Dr. Nestor Ndayimirije, in his remarks indicated that, “the epidemic is of international concern, and that WHO has elevated the grade of this event to Level 3, which calls for the mobilization of all resources to respond to this epidemic”. He explained that the plan would be part of a joint effort for the three affected countries in West Africa (Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leona). 

Dr. Ndayimirije stressed that “Everything is urgent,” and called on all traditional, religious and local leaders  to work concertedly to ensure a coordinated response to the disease especially  in the dissemination of information in the affected communities. 

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Liberia, Karin Landgren welcomed the plan and said that, “With the World Health Organization at the forefront, the UN family in Liberia will continue to devote considerable resources towards response and prevention in line with the Government-led effort.”

The Director-General of the WHO, Margaret Chan, and presidents of the three West African nations impacted by the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak will meet Friday in Guinea to launch a new joint US$100 million response plan as part of an intensified international, regional and national campaign to bring the outbreak under control.

“The scale of the Ebola outbreak, and the persistent threat it poses, requires WHO and Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to take the response to a new level, and this will require increased resources, in-country medical expertise, regional preparedness and coordination,” says Dr Chan. “The countries have identified what they need, and WHO is reaching out to the international community to drive the response plan forward.”

In the Ebola response in Liberia, WHO country office has been supporting the Ministry of Health in many areas, such as coordination, community outreach, contact tracing and surveillance, case management and treatment, as well as providing supplies and protective gear for health workers.