ADDIS ABABA – The AU Executive Council has urged members countries to lift the travel bans and restrictions placed on citizen from West African nations affected by the Ebola Virus Disease.
This is part of the resolutions of the AU Executive Council after the one-day emergency session on the Ebola Virus outbreak held on Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr Dlamini Zuma, confirmed the resolution to lift the travel ban, when she briefed newsmen on the outcome of the meeting.
Zuma said the council observed that the travel ban had affected movement of goods and services across nations and causing devastation on individuals and the economy of some of the countries.
She said countries were advised to scale up vigilance and embark on extensive screening of travellers at their departure points and the entry points to avoid further spread of the virus.
The executive council also agreed to embark on more solidarity effort through contributions of funds and medical personnel to eradicate the disease from worst hit countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
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She said that the council had agreed to support the African Union Commission in its effort to deploy military doctors and civilian medical personnel to the affected countries.
The AU Peace and Security Council had mandated the commission to deploy a mission of 100 military doctors and civilian personnel to tackle the virus.
The first batch of AU Support Mission on Ebola Outbreak in West Africa consisting of 25 personnel would arrive within the week.
She said that the council had also urged the private sector, civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations to participate in campaigns to eradicate the virus.
The council appealed to the AU partners and the international community to mobilise resources and assist the affected the countries in fighting the virus.
It called on the media to engage on massive education and public campaigns against stigmatisation and avoid reports that would cause panic among citizens.
The virus had claimed over 2,000 lives in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since it was first reported in March.
The session was chaired by Mauritania’s Minister of Magreb and African Affairs, Madame Hindou Mint-Ainina, on behalf of the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
Amb. Peter Iyamabo, Deputy Head of Mission at the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia, led the Nigerian delegation to the session.
He was supported by Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, Director, Health Service at the Federal Ministry of Health and Dr Akin Oyemakinde, Chief Consultant Epidemiologist at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. (NAN)
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