Monrovia – In an attempt to make a case about the poor condition of Liberia’s healthcare system before the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government took office in 2018, CDC incumbent senatorial candidate for Montserrado County, Saah H. Joseph claimed that the “Unity Party Government, after the Ebola crisis, received US$5.2 billion from international partners”. He cited the World Health Organization as the source of his claim.
He made the claim on at the 17:24 minute timestamp in the 1:36:15 seconds video on the Prime Morning Drive on Prime FM 105.5.
Rating Justification
To fact check this claim, we review all data available on the World Health Orgainzation’s website but found no information as claimed by Senator Joseph.
We then research the credible sources that have information on the support that was given to Liberia during the Ebola virus disease from 2014 to 2016 and other affected countries – Guinea and Sierra Leone.
On September 16, 2014, the World Bank Group’s (WBG) Board of Executive Directors approved a US$105 million grant to finance Ebola-containment efforts in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to help families and communities cope with the economic impact of the crisis, and rebuild and strengthen essential public health systems in the three worst-affected countries to guard against future disease outbreaks.
According to the World Bank Group, it mobilized nearly $1 billion in financing during the outbreak for the countries hardest hit by the virus.
This includes US$518 million for the emergency response, and at least $450 million from IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to enable trade, investment and employment in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
These three countries, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), received funding from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany in the tone of US$3.6 billion.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ‘s Ebola Outbreak — Corporate Aid Tracker revealed a $50.8 million pledge in cash and kind contributions from businesses and organizations in support of relief and recovery efforts.
Conclusion
Based on our search, we conclude that the claim made by Senator Saah Joseph, that the past government of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, received $5.2 billion dollars from international partners for Ebola response is unproven. There is no publicly available data from the WHO to show that Liberia received this amount.
According to the World Bank, it mobilizes $1 billion in financing during the outbreak for the countries hardest hit by the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also put the overall amount that was spent to fight the epidemic before the end of 2015 was more than $3.6 billion in the three countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) highly hit by the virus.
Local Voices Liberia, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, has implemented the iVerify Liberia system with the objective of strengthening capacities to address threats to information integrity, especially in view of the upcoming 2023 elections, to ensure all Liberian citizens have access to credible, reliable and verified information, everywhere and at all times.
This initiative is funded by Irish Aid, Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia, European Union Delegation in Liberia and the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. The donors have no say in the production of this fact check report.
