As the Ebola scourge in West Africa sees its final days, top European Union (EU) and African officials would meet on Tuesday, March 3 in order to take stock of the progress in the fight against the disease and decide the way forward especially with respect to establishing a full economic recovery in the affected areas. This information was disclosed by the European Commission recently.
Representing the countries hardest hit by the epidemic, the presidents of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia will attend the meeting in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium on the aforementioned date. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 9,004 people have died from the disease while a lump sum of 22,525 represent the total cases reported and suspected.
“The meeting is meant to take stock of the current fight against Ebola as well as coordinate further action for the total eradication of the disease and discuss the recovery process in the most affected countries,” an EU executive disclosed.
According to the commission, over 80 delegations have been invited to Brussels for the talks. The European Bloc would be represented by Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, Ebola Coordinator Christos Stylianides and a number of EU Commissioners. Other international bodies including the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have also been invited.
Despite the receding trend recorded in Liberia, the situation in Guinea may be worsening. Recently, Guinea’s government authorized the use of an experimental drug to treat Ebola in treatment centers after successful initial trials. Reuters reported that the expansion of the treatment came as the number of people with the disease in the country doubled in the past week.
The experimental Japanese drug, known as Avigan or favipiravir, was developed by Toyama Chemical, a subsidiary of Japan’s Fujifilm, and has been tested by French and Guinean teams in southern Guinea since mid-December. According to French President Francois Hollande’s office, results had been positive as the drug appeared to have accelerated the recovery process of patients.
“We have decided to broaden the use of this drug. It will only be available in the Ebola Treatment Units, not the hospitals,” explained Sakoba Keita, coordinator of Guinea’s Ebola response.
In Liberia, life is returning to normal as the number of new cases continues to decline. In the last week of January, only five cases were reported, according to News Authority Time.
“Seeing people interact again as physically affectionate human beings was most inspiring to me. I photographed a wedding reception, where everyone openly embraced; beaches, where Monrovians relax on Sunday afternoons, enjoying the sun and playing soccer; groups posing together for photos; church services, students registering for schools due to open this month,” John Moore, Getty Images Photographer was quoted by Time as saying.
By Emmanuel Iruobe
