MONROVIA, Montserrado – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf celebrated the nation’s Ebola free status at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Central Monrovia. She called on Liberians to continue observing Ebola precautionary measures.

Sirleaf said although the country has been declared Ebola free, there are still lingering threats from neighboring countries. Guinea and Sierra Leone are still not free of the deadly virus.

She was speaking at the program marking the official declaration of Liberia as an Ebola free nation by the World Health Organization. The program brought together Liberians and other foreign nationals.

Among those in attendance were Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, EU Ambassador Tiina Intelmann, US Ambassador Deborah Malac and Ghanian’s Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh.

The Liberian president advised citizens and foreign residents in the country to work with neighboring countries to ensure that they reach the same level with Liberia.

“We have already commenced the process by taking a regional approach to reach across border to share information, experiences, and talents. We are going to intensify that effort because we know until they are totally free, we are not free,” she said.

President Sirleaf paid tribute to local and international partners who graced the occasion.

“Thank you to all of you who have come to celebrate with us and we want to say thank you again for being with us during our difficult days,” she said.

Intelmann was also a speaker at the program and said the country’s declaration as Ebola free is good news for Liberia.

“It is a tribute to the bravery of the people of Liberia and of the many Africans and health workers who have worked for months to bring Ebola down to zero case,” she said.

“It shows that the fight against Ebola can be won, but it’s an incredibly tough fight.”

Malac also spoke at the program where she attributed the defeat of Ebola to the government and people of Liberia. She said the US was committed to working with Liberia and its partners to strengthen health care systems in West Africa.

Citizens have expressed joy over the country’s victory of the virus. One of such attendees was Niasekah Gloseah who said, “I am very excited today, that after many months of being stigmatized by some members of the international community and even at home; where we were not allowed to do certain traditional things like shake hands or hug that we can now celebrate this triumph. It makes me happy that I had to make it my duty to come to the Pavilion.”

Another Liberian, Beyan Keh, said, “I am happy because Ebola threatened our lives as individuals and as a country.”

He said, “My wife is a registered nurse and doing the peak of Ebola in the country, I was worried whenever my wife came home from work.”

The first outbreak of Ebola in Liberia was reported in March of 2014.

Featured photo: Cameron Zohoori