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ChildFund Liberia staff waited anxiously this morning for the arrival of a humanitarian airlift carrying 15,000 pounds of emergency medical supplies to help contain the spread of the Ebola virus. Manned by two volunteer crews, the 737 jet carried five pallets of personal protection equipment and hygiene supplies from our US-based sister organisation, ChildFund International, in response to urgent requests from staff and health care professionals in Liberia.

ChildFund International CEO Anne Lynam Goddard says, “The response of our staff and partners has been remarkable €“ to provide and deliver lifesaving medical supplies requested by the hospitals and clinics we serve in these countries. We are honoured to work with leading corporations and fellow non-profits to meet West Africa`s most urgent medical needs and save lives together.”

This airlift came about through a remarkable collaboration spanning the corporate and nonprofit sectors. ChildFund`s participation in the airlift would not have been possible without the support of AIRLINK, ATX Air Services, Procter & Gamble and Advocates for World Health €“ as well as more than 100 generous individuals. Four other non-profit organisations joined ChildFund in filling the plane with supplies: AFYA Foundation, AmeriCares, Direct Relief and MedShare. Logistical support on the ground was provided by UPS, FedEx, ALAN, LIFT and Rock-IT Cargo.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation report that the current Ebola virus outbreak is the deadliest on record. Although there is no known cure for this disease, early intervention can help to boost survival rates. Currently, 47 per cent of those infected are surviving. However, health workers are in desperate need of supplies to treat symptoms and contain the virus.

While Ebola is the main challenge at the moment, the breadth and depth of this outbreak has pushed Liberia`s health system to its limit. It is predicted that the number of deaths from malaria, pneumonia and childbirth will increase due to Ebola because people are afraid to seek treatment in hospitals.

As a child-focused organisation, ChildFund has an essential role in helping to restore safe delivery options for pregnant women by getting these supplies to Lofa, the hardest-hit county in Liberia and ChildFund Liberia`s main project area.

Once the supplies are delivered through the Ministry of Health of Social Welfare, the organisation will start to focus its efforts on helping meet the needs of children and youth orphaned and stigmatized due to having lost family members to the virus.

Anthony Klay Sie, Program Manager for ChildFund Liberia, reflects, “Since the Ebola outbreak, one of the hardest parts of my job has been the challenge to fill urgent requests for supplies that often mean the difference between life and death.  So today, it feels tremendous to finally be able to say, ˜Yes, we can help you.`

“ChildFund Liberia has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and its county health teams to raise awareness on the Ebola virus,” he adds. “I am so glad that we have gone a step further by procuring and airlifting for distribution essential response materials that directly complement the efforts of the Government of Liberia and other stakeholders in addressing this emergency and saving lives.”

 

UPDATE: On 22 August the World Health Organisation confirmed the Ebola death toll in West Africa had risen to 1,427 (of 2,615 cases), with 77 new deaths reported in the past two days.

As Ebola continues to spread in several western African countries, including Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and, recently, Nigeria, simple measures, like hand washing, are proving to be one of the most effective ways to protect children and families from the virus.

In response to this health crisis, ChildFund and its local partner organisations are distributing bleach, hygiene kits and gloves in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia (ChildFund does not have programs in Nigeria). We are also working with local partners in these three countries to increase awareness about how to prevent the spread of the disease.

Our local partner organisations are staffed by community members who are leading the efforts to tell others in their communities about the need for proper hygiene and early medical attention. We have found that neighbours are more likely to listen to their neighbours about how to protect themselves and each other.

In the areas where ChildFund has programs, there are signs that the messages and support delivered by our local partner are reaching their targets.

“In other areas, many people are still in the denial stage about the disease, doubting its killing power,” says Billy Abimbilla, ChildFund`s national director for Sierra Leone and Liberia.

“We are working hard to change this,” says Abimbilla. “Due to intense awareness raising and education, people are now starting to believe that the disease is real and not attributable to witchcraft or other causes. With funding provided for the emergency response, ChildFund`s local partners are working with local health authorities and community leaders to increase awareness on how to prevent the spread of the disease and to provide relief to suffering families as well.”

ChildFund`s response is part of a larger, regional response, in partnership with local and national governments, Oxfam, Care, Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services and Plan International, to ensure that all activities complement each other.

Watch Foreign Correspondent’s powerful report on how the Ebola outbreak is affecting children and families in Sierra Leone.

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