Media Release
Bangalore, Sep 18: The senior senator John Akel Ballout of Maryland County from the Republic of Liberia called U T Khadar, the Health Minister of Karnataka Province in India to assist Liberia in fighting Ebola. Karnataka province being the eighth largest province in India having a population of 64 million people has good health care facilities with the highest number of medical institutions among the 29 provinces in India and produces 6,755 medical graduates every year, the highest in the country.
During the tele-conversation which was arranged through a common friend Wilfred D'Souza from India, Senator Ballout informed the Health Minister that the deadly Ebola epidemic raging across Africa shows no signs of abating, with about 3000 cases reported and more than 2000 deaths across five West African countries with about half the deaths in Liberia. He further emphasized that Ebola is the worst killer disease ever heard in human history and chances of surviving for the infected is only 10%. He informed that WHO has predicted that there would be 20,000 cases more if not contained and brought to the notice of the Health Minister that many airlines have suspended flights to the region and some countries have stopped granting visas to workers from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. He stressed on the seriousness of this virus which he said has been a threat to mankind and expressed his fear that if not contained it would spread globally.
Moreover, this is no more a issue of Liberia but is a Global issue now he said and Liberia under the dynamic leadership of Madame President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Africa’s first female President) with the support of the people of Liberia and the government of Liberia are doing their best to combat Ebola along with the help of United Nations and international organizations and requested Khadar to extend support to Madame President and the government of Liberia in its fight to eradicate the Ebola.
Having conducted a research on India’s ancient medicine Ayurveda through the internet and friends and its effectiveness on Ebola like symptoms made Senator Ballout express interest in it and discuss the matter in more detail with the Health Minister of Karnataka Province. He requested him to provide an adequate supply of Ayurvedic medicine to heal the already infected people in Liberia.
In response, Khadar said that he has heard about the virus and lauded the efforts of Noble Laureate, Her Excellency Madam President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , United Nations, other international organizations and government of Liberia to curb the virus and he extended his and Chief Minister of Karnataka’s greetings to Madame President and the people of Liberia through Senator Ballout.
The Health Minister of Karnataka province praised Senator for the good work which he has heard through common friends and appreciated Senator’s research through the net to find a solution to stop Ebola. He explained Senator, that Ayurveda is the mother of all medicines having a history of thousands of years and he informed that there is a natural remedy for a disease like Ebola in Ayurveda.
He further said that there is AYUSH in Karnataka province which is a Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoepathy and qualified doctors in the province are finding natural remedy for all sickness. He said his team is presently working on it and that they have already found a natural Ayurvedic medicine which he believes will put an end to Ebola. Khadar explained to Senator about Ayurveda in brief and about AYUSH and said that AYUSH systems of medicines are well accepted by community, which is comparatively safe and efficacious without any side effect.
The minister expressed sympathy to families affected by the virus and pledged full support from the Health Department of the government of Karnataka and his personal commitment to the people of Liberia during this difficult period in arresting the spread of the virus. He assured to send free medicine as samples and informed that once the effectiveness of the remedy is confirmed by Liberian authorities, government of Karnataka would supply more at no cost not only to Liberia but to other effected countries like Sierra Leone, Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo where it first started.
Senator Ballout thanked U T Khadar for his assistance and assurance for providing experimental free medicine to combat Ebola in Liberia. He thanked their common friend in Mangalore Wilfred D'Souza who was in Liberia for two years for introducing to U T Khadar. It is said that Senator Ballout is very much associated with the Indian community in Liberia and always tries to help them in all possible ways and the Indian community in Liberia has high regards towards Senator Ballout.
It may be recalled that Wilfred D'Souza who was working in Liberia is a former Students’ Union president of Mangalore District and UT Khadar’s team mate during the tenure of Khadar as student union leader.