by Kolapo Olapoju
Things have gotten out of hand in West Point community in Monrovia, as seventeen suspected and some confirmed Ebola patients escaped an isolation center late in the evening of Saturday, 16 August.
Sam Tarplah, a nurse who is in charge of an isolation center told FrontPageAfrica that it all started when a lady from Bardnersville brought food for her husband and a son who are positive with Ebola. She became angry when she was not allowed entry and consequently, some residents of West Point, assisted her in helping her family escape the center.
Late in the night on Saturday, the remaining 17 left the isolation center with the assistance of the irate residents of the West Point Community.
Tarplah said a group of people stormed the center chanting slogans such as “NO Ebola, Ellen broke, she want more money; she lying about Ebola” after which they helped the 17 patients flee the center.
Tarplah also said his vehicle was partly damaged by the group, some of whom he says are against the building a quarantine center in their community.
Tarplah said, “I am on my way to Ministry of Health right now, the people came and opened the place with force, they even spoiled my car.”
West Point has a population of approximately 75,000 people and is one of Monrovia’s most densely populated neighborhoods which grapples with overpopulation and several forms of diseases.
Assistant Health Minister for Curative and Preventive Services, Tolbert Nyeswah said on Thursday, 14 August, that the Health Ministry has planned to quarantine the entire community to prevent people from moving in and out.
“We will soon quarantine West Point, we are trying to get food and other needs before we effect the action”, Nyeswah said.
Meanwhile, residents have become agitated over the proposed massive quarantine action and have been threatening to resist the move.
Some of West Point residents, mainly youths were hardened to frustrate any attempt to quarantine the entire community. Some said, “We will not move around, your come try it, your will see; your want make money out of West Point, let see”.
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