U.N. chief to West African countries: "absolutely necessary" to follow health guidelines in Ebola battle
- 9 years ago
Ban Ki-Moon is seeing the West Africa Ebola outbreak for himself -- and trying to make a difference
The UN Secretary General landed in Liberia Friday to visit health workers and encourage people to follow health guidelines to stem the virus' spread
Ban repeated that message later in Sierra Leone, where the virus has spread the fastest
He's also set to visit Mali and Guinea over the weekend
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATION SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON, SAYING:
"It might have been very difficult to change such long-held tradition and culture, but it is absolutely necessary to abide by World Health Organization path guidelines, what they call protocols."
Almost 7000 people have died in the nine-month outbreak, with more than 18,000 infected. Health officials say cultural practices like hand-washing the dead allow the virus to spread so rapidly
The UN Secretary General landed in Liberia Friday to visit health workers and encourage people to follow health guidelines to stem the virus' spread
Ban repeated that message later in Sierra Leone, where the virus has spread the fastest
He's also set to visit Mali and Guinea over the weekend
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATION SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON, SAYING:
"It might have been very difficult to change such long-held tradition and culture, but it is absolutely necessary to abide by World Health Organization path guidelines, what they call protocols."
Almost 7000 people have died in the nine-month outbreak, with more than 18,000 infected. Health officials say cultural practices like hand-washing the dead allow the virus to spread so rapidly