The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced
it will dispatch a five man professional medical team to Liberia on Wednesday,
August 20, 2014 to help the fight against the deadly Ebola Disease. The
five man team will include two medical doctor and three para-medical
professionals.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, the decision to send
the medical team to aid Liberia in its Ebola fight was made by His Excellency
President Joseph Kabila Kabange through the efforts of the Embassy of the DR
Congo accredited near Monrovia.
The release said the Special Medical Team from the DR Congo will
be led by Professor, Dr. Muyembe Tafum Jean Jaques, Coordinator of the DR Congo
Ebola Control Team. Other members of the team are Dr.Mukendi Kalambayi,
Internist in charge of Control Infection, Mr. Muyembe Baby, Lab Technician in
charge of collecting, keeping and controlling specimens, Mr.Yongolele Riziki,
Biologist in charge of Bio-Security and Mrs.Akonga Okito, Lab Technician and
Analyst.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy called on Foreign Minister
Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan on Tuesday at the Foreign Ministry, Mr. Tony
Nzinga, Chargé d’Affaires of the DR Congo announced his government’s intention
to help Liberia’s Ebola fight. He further intimated that President Kabila
and the people of the DR Congo were greatly concerned about the situation in
Liberia and are in deep sympathy with Liberia for the lives lost so far. It can
be recalled that DR Congo experienced similar Ebola outbreak in 1976 but was
able to overcome it and said he is hopeful Liberia will overcome the situation.
For his part, Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan said he
was overwhelmed by the offer from the DR Congo especially with the experience
the country has in combating the Ebola Virus. He on behalf of President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, the Government and People of Liberia extended profound thanks
and gratitude to President Kabila and the Government and People of the DR Congo
for the gesture.
Minister Ngafuan remarked that true friends are known when you
are in difficulty and the action by Congo has shown that the country is a true
friend and partner. The Foreign Minister assured that the Liberian people will
be appreciative and eternally grateful to know that experts are coming from the
DR Congo, a country that witnessed the first outbreak of the disease in 1976 in
areas adjoining the Ebola River, from where the virus got its name.
Signed:
Horatio Bobby Willie
Assistant Foreign Minister/Public Affairs