Hot topics?
Ebola Outbreak – What You Can Do
Organizations and agencies involved in fighting the continuing West Africa Ebola crisis are calling for medical personnel, supplies and training to address the outbreak and its impact on health systems in one of the poorest areas in the world.
The links below give information on opportunities to volunteer, donate and learn more about the outbreak and needs:
Volunteer:
Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) is seeking physicians and nurses with experience in highly contagious wards and personal protective equipment, who are familiar with infection control and safety practices inside isolation areas, and are available for 6-8 weeks for a field assignment in West Africa. Click here for information on MSF's work in West Africa.
The United States Agency for International Development has created a registry for experienced health sector workers interested in volunteering to help those affected by the outbreak. The agency may share information submitted with nongovernmental organizations working in West Africa or with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a safety training course for healthcare workers who plan to go to West Africa to treat patients in Ebola units. The three-day courses will be taught by CDC staff epidemiologists, infection preventionists, MSF staff members and other professionals. Ten course sessions are scheduled from 6 October 2014 until 4 January 2015. Click here for more information.
Donate:
The CDC Foundation is helping staff deployed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meet needs that currently include laptop computers for communication and disease tracking, personal protective equipment, thermal scanners, infection control training, as well as isolation beds through its Global Disaster Response Fund.
The Global Giving Ebola Epidemic Relief Fund has established a fund to provide aid organizations on the ground in West Africa with resources that include medical supplies, protective equipment and educational campaigns.
Partners in Health is seeking donations to support its work with local organizations in Sierra Leone and Liberia to set up Ebola treatment units in rural locations, train health care workers to identify and treat patients and strengthen primary health care.
Learn more:
- South African National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD)'s
- Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) News : The September edition provides a compilation of informational links, including to the IDSA Ebola Guidance for ID Clinicians, CDC Ebola evaluation guidelines, resources, and information for volunteers, SHEA Ebola resources, and journal articles on Ebola.
