Ebola Crisis in West Africa - Emergency Humanitarian Assistance - IFRC 2014

October 2014 - On August 8 2014 the World Health Organization declared the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa an international health emergency. The Ebola outbreak started in Guinea and spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. There have been over 10 000 cases of Ebola virus in Guinea Liberia and Sierra Leone to date including close to 5 000 deaths. The current outbreak is unprecedented in terms of its scale geographic reach humanitarian impact as well as its social and economic repercussions. The number of cases and deaths surpass all previous Ebola epidemics combined. With DFATD’s support the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is helping to reduce and control the spread of the Ebola virus in Guinea Liberia and Sierra Leone and to scale up operation support coordination and preparedness for at risk countries in the region. Project activities include: (1) supporting the medical response through case finding contact tracing education awareness disinfection and dead body management; (2) providing preparedness and response capacity in non-affected countries; (3) enhancing coordination by providing effective communication to all stakeholders and through the consolidation resource mobilization and reporting functions; (4) providing effective staff and volunteer safety and security systems including support before during and after a deployment; and (5) establishing a Regional Ebola Unit in Guinea (Conakry) that provides Ebola coordination and support at Zone and Geneva levels.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced medical response through case finding contact tracing disinfection and dead body management; (2) increased preparedness and response capacity in non-affected countries; (3) increased staff and volunteer safety and security; (4) strengthened information communication resource mobilization and reporting functions; and (5) established Regional Ebola Unit in Guinea (Conakry) that is providing coordination and support at Zone and Geneva levels. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or acute food insecurity.