Situation Update
The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in March 2014 winded down during the first two months. However, another wave of outbreak started in Guinea and its neighboring countries in late May. In Sierra Leone, the first case was confirmed in end of May, followed by rises of new cases in Liberia. As of 12 July, the cumulative number of cases attributed to EVD in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone stands at 964, including 603 deaths. In Liberia, a total of 172 cases were recorded with 70 confirmed, and 102 probable and suspected. Out of these 172 cases, 105 were dead. The situation so far is even more deadly than the first Ebola outbreak in Africa in 1976.
To increase the level of understanding of EVD, while dealing with fear and stigma in the same time remains the priority efforts to put a stop to the deadly disease. As most of the communities have never come across the idea of Ebola before, they were scared especially with rumors spreading wrong messages of the cause of infection. Education is, therefore, very important not only to stopping the spread, and to sparing the survivors and their families from social stigma.
Hong Kong Red Cross Actions
The Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) launched an emergency appeal to the Hong Kong public from 29 April to 12 May 2014 to call for public support to the EVD emergency and preparedness operations in West Africa, including Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire. Thanks very much to the generosity of the Hong Kong public, as of 31 May, over HK$120,000 in donations has been received.
Two more health personnel from the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) will be deployed to Liberia to support the International Red Cross and Liberia Red Cross operation, apart from the three volunteer nurses who have completed their missions in May. The team includes a clinical psychologist and a public health doctor. Their main duties would be to provide technical support to the local Red Cross staff and volunteers on community awareness campaigns and the provision of psychosocial first aid to individuals and communities.
Red Cross Actions
The International Red Cross has been seeking HK$27 million to reach up to 10 million people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone with different health activities. Since early April, a total sum of HK$1.5 million has also been released by the International Red Cross as emergency funds in supporting emergency and preparedness operations against EVD outbreak in Mali, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire, covering a population of over 5 million.
With its network of volunteers, the national Red Cross and the International Red Cross continues to carry out the following activities in response to the outbreak in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone:
• Training of more than 2,000 volunteers on key facts of EVD and basic psychosocial support skills to address stigma, fear and discrimination in communities;
• Intensified social mobilization and awareness raising activities in high-risk counties;
• Contact tracing of suspected cases in the affected communities;
• Psychosocial support and counseling service to the affected individuals, family and communities;
• Provision of food and basic necessities including bed sheets and clothes to those whose personal belongings had been destroyed when they are quarantined.