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UUSC Partner Helps End Ebola Epidemic in Liberia

May 13, 2015

Great news: Liberia was declared free of Ebola on May 9, 2015, after receiving no new Ebola cases during a 42-day period! This is a testament to the Liberian people and to Last Mile Health (LMH), a UUSC partner, who worked tirelessly over the past year and a half to bring an end to the epidemic.

With UUSC support, LMH has been busy providing training and care in Rivercess and Grand Gedeh Counties that not only helped stem new cases of Ebola but also will prevent a resurgence of the virus:

  • Trained an additional 788 community health workers — for a total of 1,307 — to respond to the virus
    • 39 community health workers screen residents for Ebola, raise awareness about the disease, and complete contact tracing for suspected cases
    • 681 Community Health Committee (CHC) members communicate Ebola awareness and prevention messages as well as establish procedures to isolate and refer suspected cases, should they emerge
  • Continued to support 340 trained LMH facility-based staff to maintain effective infection prevention and control protocols

The extensive work of building a resilient national health care system, especially in the rural areas, and strengthening the economy continues. Named the lead community health partner by the Ministry of Health, LMH has been working with the ministry to plan a community-based health system that reaches Liberians living in remote areas across the entire country with a network of professionalized community health workers.

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