THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said it is closely monitoring the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which is wreaking havoc in West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, where it has already infected over 9,200 persons, and claiming the lives of more than 4500 persons.

General Secretary of the PPP/C, Mr. Clement Rohee, said the party understands that it is clearly a humanitarian crisis looming in the affected countries, which could easily spread to other countries and Regions.
“We therefore wish to put on record our profound concern with the way the world is responding to this outbreak and express solidarity with the governments and peoples of the affected countries,” he told reporters yesterday at the party’s weekly press conference.
Rohee said the PPP/C is heartened at the position of the Government of Guyana in making a financial contribution to the global appeal for aid to combat the Ebola Virus Disease.

He also related that the PPP endorses fully the decision taken by Government to cease the issuance of visas to nationals of the affected countries and the increased screening of any person who may have travelled to the affected area.
“The PPP endorses President Donald Ramotar’s position that the situation calls for the full cooperation of all Guyanese; and as such, we urge our fellow citizens to educate themselves on the EVD and the necessary measures that can be taken to prevent an infection or a possible outbreak,” Rohee declared.

He said the PPP/C fully supports the “initiatives taken by the Ministry of Health to increase surveillance at ports of entry and the establishment of quarantine facilities, including at our main port of entry, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri; Ogle Aerodrome and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.”

Rohee said that in the coming weeks and months, the PPP/C will work closely with the Ministry of Health and the Government in preparing the response to any eventuality and “urge all political parties and civil society organisations to join the Government’s efforts in this regard.”
Rohee is of the view that the current outbreak of the disease could have been easily brought under control had the international community responded appropriately when the virus was discovered in 1976 in Sudan.
“We (in the PPP) therefore join in the call for the developed world to urgently and decisively provide necessary assistance, not only to the affected countries, but to medical experts who seek to develop a treatment for this virus,” Rohee said.

(Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)