Liberia

observer.gm - by Saffiatou Colley  - December 3, 2015

The Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has disclosed that the West Africa Disaster Preparedness Initiative’s (WADPI) main objective is to utilise the lessons learned from the Ebola epidemic as well as strengthen national capacities among the 16 West African countries to implement an all-hazards approach to disaster response and management.

Lt. Col. Alhagie Sanneh was speaking on Tuesday at the ongoing high-level discussion on the ‘Development of a strategic work plan and to conduct a post-course assessment’, at a local hotel in Brufut.

He indicated that the training is part of the requirements of the recent West Africa Disaster Preparedness Initiative training held in Ghana, where Gambia participated.

“The WADPI programme would develop and promote inter-regional integration through ensuring continuous collaboration, communication and coordination to explore preparedness strategies that can strengthen ECOWAS member states to manage and recover from disaster events,” he said.

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CLICK HERE - ACAPS - Ebola Outbreak, Liberia - Communication: Challenges and good practices (15 page .PDF file)

CLICK HERE - ACAPS - Liberia - Re-emergence of Ebola - Anticipatory Briefing Note 23 November 2015 (7 page .PDF file)

CLICK HERE - ACAPS - Country Analysis

CLICK HERE - Reuters - Female survivor may be cause of Ebola flare-up in Liberia

CLICK HERE - WHO - Ebola Situation Report - 16 December 2015

CLICK HERE - Wall Street Journal - Fresh Ebola Cases Damp Liberia Hopes of Eliminating Deadly Disease

CLICK HERE - WHO - Ebola Situation Report - 9 December 2015

Ebola survivor Dr. Richard Sacra experienced eye problems, including vision loss, pain and redness, shortly after he recovered from the disease.

Credit: Chancellor JR, Padmanabhan SP, Greenough TC, Sacra R, Ellison RT III, Madoff LC, et al. Uveitis and systemic inflammatory markers in convalescent phase of Ebola virusdisease. Emerg Infect Dis. 2016 Feb

CLICK HERE - STUDY - CDC - Uveitis and Systemic Inflammatory Markers in Convalescent Phase of Ebola Virus Disease

livescience.com - by Rachael Rettner - November 25, 2015

Ebola survivor Dr. Ian Crozier wasn't the only American to experience eye problems following the disease — a new report describes eye problems in another American doctor who lived through the disease.

Dr. Richard Sacra, who works for the Christian mission organization SIM USA, contracted Ebola last year while caring for pregnant women in Liberia during the rise of the Ebola outbreak there. He was evacuated to the United States for treatment in early September 2014, and was declared Ebola-free after spending about a month in the hospital.

submitted by George Hurlburt

CLICK HERE - STUDY - Interferon-γ Inhibits Ebola Virus Infection

scicasts.com - November 19, 2015

The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa has claimed more than 11,300 lives and starkly revealed the lack of effective options for treating or preventing the disease. Progress has been made on developing vaccines, but there is still a need for antiviral therapies to protect health care workers and local populations in the event of future outbreaks.

A new study led by University of Iowa virologist Dr. Wendy Maury, suggests that gamma interferon, which is an FDA-approved drug, may have potential as an antiviral therapy to prevent Ebola infection when given either before or after exposure to the virus.

The study, published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, found that gamma interferon, given up to 24 hours after exposure, can inhibit Ebola infection in mice and completely protect the animals from death.