Via FrontPageAfrica: Bonding Against Ebola: US Military, AFL Building ETUs Together. Excerpt:
In Tubmanburg, Bomi County, Western Liberia, the United States Military is collaborating with the Armed Forces of Liberia in putting up a 100-bed Ebola treatment Unit to be ready in a few weeks. The United States military is providing logistical support and supervision to members of the AFL for the construction of the ETU through support from the United States Agency for International Development, which is funding the construction of a total of 17 ETUs in the country.
Members of the AFL were seen actively engaged in construction work at the facility. They worked around the clock to put up the tents needed for the facility to go online. Ben Hemingway is Deputy Team Leader US Disaster Assistance Response Team; DART. He says the facility will be fully operational in two weeks and that the U.S. government is giving funding for the construction of other facilities in Liberia to help contain the deadly Ebola virus.
“With the full support of the government of Liberia and in cooperation with the Armed Forces of Liberia, we’re building 17 ETUs; we’re supporting ETUs throughout the country,” he says. “It is not only creating ETUs but also community care centers, training, improving laboratory capabilities and the major logistics and material support to make sure that there is safe access to care throughout the health centers.”
Liberia Hit Hard
Mr. Hemingway puts the cost 100-bed ETU cost at a range between US$250,000 to 500,000. He says much of the work is also being done through Liberian contractors and that the US government is not only building ETUs but also helping the Liberian Economy in this difficult period.
He says Liberia has been hard hit by the deadly Ebola virus and all needs to be done to bring the outbreak under control, thus the US government’s effort at building ETUs and community care centers to help break in transmission of the disease.
“We really see the ETU as part of a referral system - the idea is you’ll be able to get care, close to home and if you are confirmed with Ebola, you’ll be able to move to an Ebola treatment unit for longer term care there,” he says.
Mr. Hemingway says at the moment, there are six operational ETUs in the country and by the first week in December this year, all 17 ETUs being built with funding from the US government will come online including those that are being built through other donor funds.
“When all the partners are finished there will be 26 to 27 ETUs throughout the country,” he said. Mr. Hemingway says paramount among the challenges associated with fighting the deadly virus is keeping up with the epidemiological surveillance of the outbreak.
