Looming Health Workers Strike In Liberia

Speaking to the media, Liberia's Assistant Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah said the strike would have negative consequences on those suffering from Ebola.

Nyenswah added that the strike would also adversely affect progress made so far in the fight against the disease.

The National Health Workers Association is demanding an increase in the monthly risk fee paid to those treating Ebola cases.

The health workers also want personal protective equipment and insurance.

The demand on protective equipment comes after 95 of their colleagues died after they got infected while administering treatment.

The government however says that the scale of the epidemic is high and it now cannot afford the risk fee originally agreed upon.

Liberia is one of the countries worst affected by the epidemic with more than 4,000 people having died so far.

Six months after the epidemic began in West Africa there are still only about a quarter of the treatment beds required to tackle it.

Food is now in short supply as markets are disrupted in some parts of the three countries worst affected that is Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

In Liberia, elections have been postponed because the gathering of people at polling stations would endanger lives.

US President Barack Obama has directed more steps to be taken to ensure high safety procedures when dealing with suspected Ebola patients.

By Bonareri Nyamoita

Source: BBC News