Ebola Crisis in West Africa - Emergency Humanitarian Assistance - OCHA 2015

August 2015 - On August 8 2014 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa a public health emergency of international concern. To date a total of over 27 800 confirmed EVD cases have been reported in Guinea Liberia and Sierra Leone with 11 281 deaths. The outbreak has been unprecedented in terms of its scale geographic reach humanitarian impact as well as its social and economic repercussions. Although the number of new cases has decreased substantially since their peak in late 2014 a sustained focus on the emergency response remains crucial in order to avoid a resurgence of the virus. With DFATD’s support the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is helping responding organizations analyze and map the spread of the outbreak and help ensure the delivery of basic services to affected communities. Project activities include: (1) overseeing information management for the broader response; (2) supporting needs assessment and response coordination; (3) supporting engagement with military and private sector actors; and (4) strengthening prevention efforts in surrounding countries.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced monitoring and reporting on the emergency response; (2) strengthened assessment and prioritization of humanitarian needs and strategic planning; (3) improved coordination of the response; and (4) strengthened emergency preparedness in surrounding countries. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or acute food insecurity.