Ebola outbreak: Liberia’s newest, largest treatment clinic already at capacity
CBC News was granted access to the Island Clinic in Monrovia
By Adrienne Arsenault, Stephanie Jenzer
CBC News
Sep 29, 2014
Liberia’s newest and largest Ebola treatment centre was desperately needed to combat the spread of the fatal virus, yet the facility has barely helped to stop the worst outbreak in recorded history.
The centre, known as Island Clinic, was exactly seven days old when CBC News toured the “green zone,” or safe zone, of the facility on Sunday. It has almost doubled the Ebola treatment capacity in Liberia’s capital city of Monrovia, a major urban centre overwhelmed by an exponentially increasing number of cases of the deadly virus.
When it opened, there were 120 beds available. Within hours, the clinic was already stretched — every space available filled with the city’s most frightened and seriously ill. Somehow, room was made for more patients and currently, by adding beds and sofas where possible, staff estimate the total number is likely closer to 200.
The World Health Organization funded the clinic and handed it over to Liberia’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, while UNICEF, the World Food Programme and USAID have joined the WHO donating supplies and support.
‘A drop of water in an ocean’
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