Ebola Crisis in West Africa - Access to Water Sanitation and Hygiene - CARE Canada 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 CARE Canada is helping to reduce and control the spread of the Ebola virus in five Liberian counties (Bong Margibi Montserrado Nimbi and Grand Gedeh) by improving access to clean water and raising awareness of good hygiene practices. Project activities include: (1) promoting hygiene practises through health messages to 13 000 households; (2) distributing hygiene kits to 13 000 households; (3) providing personal protective items (such as gloves and masks) to 1 000 households with an emphasis on care givers of EVD affected persons; and (4) repairing and cleaning water points and supporting water management committees to improve access to clean water.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved hygiene practices and reduced risk of EVD transmission; (2) increased knowledge of Ebola prevention; and (3) improved access to water and sanitation. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or acute food insecurity.