The Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President John Dramani Mahama has said the Ebola epidemic has rendered thousands of children in affected countries orphans and has called for a discussion on how to halt the spread of the disease.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Extra Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Accra, President Mahama said the disease has become a global epidemic which needs urgent attention.
“The World Health Organization has reported and estimated a total of 13,567 confirmed probable and suspected cases of Ebola from six affected countries, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali, Spain and United States of America as well as two previously affected countries Nigeria and Senegal. A total of 4,951 deaths have been reported,” he said.
[contextly_sidebar id=”f0im4edkDaR1KQFFWkmieXS58wdeCGW9″]He urged the heads at the session “to move past a perfunctory discussion of facts and figures…to look past data and see the faces of those affected by this disease.”
“Since the start of this epidemic Liberia alone has registered more than 2,000 newly orphaned children. This is a country that was trying to find ways to cope with the children who had been orphaned during the 15 year civil war. The fear of Ebola has made these orphans, unwanted in homes of their extended relatives and existing orphanages,” he lamented.
“I would like for us in our deliberations on how best to assist these nations as they grapple with this immediate crisis to talk about Ebola not simply from the head but also from our hearts,” he insinuated.
The head of the UN mission charged with fighting Ebola in West Africa has told the BBC he does not yet have the resources necessary to defeat it.
Tony Banbury said more help was urgently needed, despite significant contributions from the UK, China, Cuba and the US.
Despite the slowness of the response from the international community, Mr. Mahama was however impressed that several nations have now come forward “with offers of equipment, funds, foods, medicine among others.”
The ECOWAS chairman earlier in September, 2014 visited the three West African Countries hardest hit by the Ebola disease – Guinea, Seirra Leone and Liberia.
The visit was to help assess the impact of the disease on the affected countries. He also urged donors who pledged to support the affected countries to redeem their promises to enable them battle the disease.
Meanwhile, some major roads in Accra have been closed to the public because of the ECOWAS meeting.
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By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana