Gambia Reopens Borders to West African Countries Plagued by the Ebola Virus.

20th Nov 2014 In a brave and sympathetic gesture, Gambia has reopened its land borders to West African nationals from countries hit by the deadly Ebola crisis, saying that borders closure has not been recommended by the World health organization as part of the measures to curtail the spread of the disease.  The head of disease control in the Gambia, Sanna Sambou, confirmed the reopening of the country’s border to countries affected by the Ebola scourge while noting that border closure was not the best solution to contain the virus, hence the need to reopen borders to allow in and out movement of people in the Gambia regardless of their country’s Ebola..

Ebrima Koroma, who is a health practitioner, said that Gambia has lifted the restriction on entry into the country of Guineans, Sierra Leoneans, Nigerians and Liberians. Rather than the unfair behavior and practices the West African nation has chosen to step up measures against the deadly virus, instead by screening all persons and visitors coming through the border and also keeping their personal records and other information on where they will be staying, in Gambia.

According to him, “We were told by the Gambian authorities that we can open the border to allow people to pass including those from countries affected by Ebola without restriction but with conditions.”

He was also quick to add that “Whoever comes from any Ebola affected country such as Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia undergoes screening, but for such people, we visit the places they live on a weekly basis to ensure the Gambia is safe from the Ebola virus. We are at the border both day and night because we haven’t received any directive to leave the border yet.”