Ebola Crisis in West Africa - Home-Based Care and Prevention - Samaritan’s Purse 2014

November 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 15 000 cases of Ebola virus in Guinea Liberia and Sierra Leone to date including more than 5 400 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 Samaritan’s Purse is helping to contain and reduce the spread of EVD in Montserrado Lofa Grand Cape Mount and Bomi counties of Liberia. Project activities include: (1) staff and maintain a ten-bed transit centre in Foya Lofa county ; (2) training of case finders and contact tracing officers; and (3) raising awareness on EVD through educational messages and the distribution of infection prevention and control kits to 35 000 households.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased isolation of suspected and probable EVD transmission; (2) increased EVD surveillance capacity; and (3) Increased community awareness and preparedness relating to EVD transmission . The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or acute food insecurity.