Liberia’s Ebola fight set back by growing unrest
There are concerns raid could fuel the spread of Ebola in a slum where at least 50,000 people live
CBC.ca
Aug 18, 2014
Authorities in Liberia urgently searched for 17 people on Monday who had fled an Ebola medical centre over the weekend when it was attacked by looters who stole blood-stained sheets and mattresses and took them into an enormous slum.
Health officials were combing Monrovia’s West Point area that is home to at least 50,000 people in hopes of stopping the virus from spreading further in a country where more than 400 people already have died.
The weekend chaos highlights the growing unease and panic in Liberia amid the mounting Ebola death toll and illustrates the risks of further instability in this deeply impoverished country where mistrust of the government runs high. In addition, health workers are complaining about a lack of protective gear. Treatment centres are viewed by many as a place where people go just to die.
“They are not happy with the way Ebola is being managed and the response that the government is providing,” said Koala Oumarou, country director for the aid group Plan Liberia, which is helping the health ministry to raise awareness. “It’s where the frustration is coming from.”
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