Liberia gets hygiene supplies from UNICEF

MONROVIA (Xinhua) - A cargo plane with 68 metric tonnes of health and hygiene supplies from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) landed in Liberia's capital city of Monrovia early Saturday morning, delivering urgently needed supplies to combat the Ebola outbreak.

Basic emergency items needed by front-line health workers to protect themselves and prevent the spread of infection were procured and delivered with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Ebola Disaster Assistance Response Team, which is coordinating US government efforts to stop the spread of Ebola.

A UNICEF statement reaching Xinhua said the items included 27 metric tonnes of concentrated chlorine for disinfection and water purification and 450,000 pairs of latex gloves.

The shipment also includes supplies of intravenous fluids, oral rehydration salts and ready-to-use therapeutic food that will be used to help patients undergoing treatment.

The consignment was received in Monrovia by representatives of UNICEF and Liberia's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, for distribution to health facilities nationwide.

Many people in the country have suffered from a shortage of supplies and manpower, leaving thousands of Liberians without access to treatment and essential health care.

"UNICEF has been a friend and partner to Liberia for decades and has seen us through some of our darkest days," said Tolbert Nyenswah, Liberia's Assistant Minister of Health and Social Welfare.

"We are extremely grateful for these supplies, which will help us to begin disinfecting, resupplying and reopening clinics and hospitals so that they can resume providing essential health services to Liberians," the statement quoted him as saying.

As of Aug. 22, over 1,000 cases have been attributed to Ebola in Liberia. One of the reasons for the continued spread of the disease in Liberia has been a weakening of the post-conflict country's already constrained health care system.