Originally South Africa #3 >>13039967
“Red Cross prepares to contain deadly Ebola outbreak in Africa”-
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/red-cross-prepares-to-contain-deadly-ebola-outbreak-in-africa/. Below are a few excerpts.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Regional Director for Africa says there is a serious risk of the deadly Ebola virus spreading from Guinea to neighbouring countries.
Red Cross volunteers and staff in Guinea, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone have stepped up surveillance and community sensitisation effort to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak in the region.
To support their life saving activities, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has issued an international emergency appeal for 8.5 million Swiss francs.
IFRC Regional Director for Africa, Mohammed Mukhier, said there was a serious risk of the virus spreading from Guinea to neighbouring countries.
“Ebola does not care about borders. Close social, cultural and economic ties between communities in Guinea and neighbouring countries create a very serious risk of the virus spreading to Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone, and potentially even further,” Mukhier said.
“That’s why we are launching an integrated cross-border operation aimed at rapidly confining the outbreak to its current location and swiftly containing any eventual outbreak beyond Guinea.”
There are an estimated 1.3 million people living in the health zone affected by the outbreak. The Guinea Red Cross and IFRC plan aims to support about 420 000 of them with a range of services, including community sensitisation, community-based surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene, safe and dignified burials, infection prevention and control, as well as psychosocial support.
“This outbreak is likely to complicate an already challenging situation. COVID-related containment measures currently being implemented have exacerbated food insecurity in the region and this may lead to the reluctance of communities to respect new preventive measures that are being put in place to contain Ebola,” Mukhier said.
Mohammed Mukhier bio’s at https://www.mcgill.ca/globalfoodsecurity/events/proceedings/2008conference/speakers/bios#MMUKHIER;
Born in Sudan, Mohammed Mukhier is Head of Disaster Policy and Preparedness Department at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Geneva since June 2006. Mr. Mukhier’s department provides overall guidance to the IFRC’s secretariat and to National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on topics such as disaster preparedness, disaster policy, disaster risk reduction, food security, livelihood and recovery. Before becoming Head of Department, Mohammed Mukhier held key positions in the field as Head of Operations for the Pakistan earthquake in 2006, Head of Delegation in Iran in 2004-2005, Regional Disaster Preparedness and Response Delegate for Eastern Africa from 2000 to 2003 and Senior Disaster Preparedness Officer in Geneva (1998-2000). Before joining the IFRC, Mohammed Mukhier also worked for Actionaid and was a Research Associate at the Cranfield Disaster Preparedness Centre at Cranfield University in England. Mohammed Mukhier holds several university degrees including diplomas in international management, food security and microcomputers for agricultural development.