DAKAR, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said on Tuesday that it is strengthening preparedness and prevention measures to reduce the risk of Ebola virus disease being imported into West Africa.
"Even though the risk assessment shows that West Africa remains relatively spared at this stage, we must remain vigilant," said Mamadou Diarrassouba, executive director of the ECOWAS Regional Center for Surveillance and Disease Control, at the opening of a meeting of experts on Ebola preparedness and response strategies in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.
According to Diarrassouba, ECOWAS member states have activated their contingency plans and strengthened surveillance at airports, border posts and other strategic points of entry following the Ebola virus disease outbreak currently reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
He recalled that the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa showed that, in health security, "preparedness costs less than response," stressing the need to act early to save lives.
The 2014-2016 outbreak, the deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, mainly affected Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, killing more than 11,000 people and placing severe strain on health systems in the region.
