Discuss Ebola dispassionately – Mahama to ECOWAS delegates

The chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), John Dramani Mahama, has charged delegates from the sub region who are in Ghana to discuss the deadly Ebola pandemic, to have a dispassionate discussion about the virus.

According to John Mahama, who is also the President of Ghana, “it is now more important to focus on the effects and impact of the Ebola Virus disease and how to effectively eradicate the spread.”

He further indicated that “facts and figure of the disease are all too familiar for those here today and it is not a pleasant situation for our continent and the world. ….So far 4,951 deaths have been reported. Let’s move past the data and origin of this disease.”

The ECOWAS chair however expressed optimism about the response from the international community regarding the fight against Ebola. He said “It pleases me to note that despite the initial slowness of response by the international community to the Ebola epidemic, numerous nations and organisations have now come forward with offers of assistance ranging from equipment to food to medical personnel and to financial assistance.

He further indicated that “There is still so much more that needs to be done in order for us to help the affected nations continue their fight to contain the spread of Ebola.”

In his concluding remarks, John Mahama admonished delegates and representatives from the other countries to “make the best possible use of this assistance by assessing what is needed, matching it with what has been offered and identifying the gaps that remained so that they too can be filled and we can effectively and efficiently bring an end to this terrible epidemic.”

The meeting would also discuss the current political unrest in Burkina Faso and how the country can immediately return to constitutional rule and democratic rule. The ECOWAS chairman visited Burkina Faso to hold talks with the head of the army in that country over handling of the volatile situation.

He urged the political leaders in the country to amicably resolve the current impasse.