By Calvin Quays|LPR News, Monrovia
The United States Defense Attaché has expressed the optimism that the Armed Forces of Liberia will work with the Joint West Africa Research Group in the development of a vaccine against the corona virus in the country.
Colonel Matthew Alden said the United States Armed Forces will continue to stand by the AFL in combating the corona virus that is killing thousands of people around the world and inflicting.
Colonel Alden spoke when the United States Embassy presented thousands of nose masks and personal protective equipment to the high command of the Armed Forces of Liberia and their families at the Edward Beyan Kesselly Military Barrack in Margibi County.
According to US Defense Attaché , the donation will put the AFL in better position in the combat against covid-19 and supply soldiers as well as their dependents.
Colonel Alden explained that the items donated include over 2500 nose masks, 7,000 surgical masks and thousands of personal protective equipments as well as hundreds of bottles of hand sanitizers .
“As we work together with the AFL , these items will enable the Liberian Army to put in a better position in the fight against covid-19 in the country,”
“These items,” the US Defense Attaché went on, “ will also enable the Joint West Africa Research Group efforts to combat corona virus in Liberia and work with the AFL in developing vaccine against the disease that have thousands around the world.”
Receiving the donated on behalf of the Daniel Ziankahn, the Minister of National Defense, AFL Chief of Staff, Major General Prince Johnson, said the donation will go a long way in providing protection for soldiers assigned in the field
According to him, these were some of the basic requirements that AFL Medical Unit requested for when the web- meeting when the corona out was reported initially in the country.
“At that time”, Major General Johnson explained, “it started with the prevention and detection stage ; not knowing that we were going to get into the treatment stage that we are currently in
“Our concern at the time was how can we get basic safety supplies like nose masks, PPE and hand sanitizers that we will sent out to our installations and barracks because we were really worry when the Commander in Chief called on the military to get involve as we felt needed something that to depend on.”
“Today, it is living witness that the United States government in collaboration with the Joint West Research Group is providing some of these equipments PPE and nose masks and hand sanitizers that we not just rely on the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute that when call upon and we are responding as we currently in the face of treatment and the state of emergency in Liberia .”
“Now, we can assure you that all these items donated to the AFL will be used for the intended purpose and help our country as we are very grateful to the United States government on behalf
Meanwhile, Major General Johnson has honored and gowned the out US Marine Attaché, Major Eric Willie after two years of service in Liberia.
According to AFL Chief of Staff, the Major Willie was very instrumental during his visit his visit to the United Nations headquarter in New York , the United States.
At the end of the program , the United States Army officers presented bag of nose masks to dozens of the spouses of AFL and their children for onward distribution to the rest of the spouses and children at the Edward Beyan Kesselly Barrack and other military instillations around the country
The ceremony was witnessed by Candace Eastman , the Prospect Director of the Joint West Africa Research Group, top brass of the AFL and some spouses of soldiers .
