The grant has been awarded to Medair UK to support its work to mitigate the effects of the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Bundibugyo strain of the ebola outbreak, which has also spread to Uganda, has no vaccine and a fatality rate of up to 50%.
The World Health Organisation has declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC ‘an international public health emergency’.
‘In the DRC today, thousands of families are living through fear, loss and unimaginable hardship,’ said Overseas Aid & Development Commission president Jennifer Strachan.
‘Behind every news headline or statistic is a person, a parent, a child or a caregiver, caught in the path of this Ebola outbreak that is having devastating effects on the country. The scale of suffering will be difficult to grasp from afar, but its human cost is real and profound.
‘Our island has experienced first-hand the power of “pandemic preparedness”, particularly the ability to protect healthcare workers and prevent the spread of infection. We know what it means to rely on those who stand on the frontline, and we know how vital it is that they are properly equipped.’
Lack of swift identification, testing and referrals, poor sanitation, inadequate infection prevention in health clinics, as well as poor funeral practices are contributing to the spread of the disease.
The donation of £50,000 will fund PPE supplies, which are critical for protecting frontline workers and enabling them to safely deliver essential care. Health workers and frontline responders are at heightened risk, and a high proportion were among the first victims of this outbreak.
‘Ebola is not just the DRC’s problem. Infectious diseases do not respect borders, as we learned all too well during the Covid-19 pandemic,’ said Deputy Strachan.
‘This donation shows that our compassion and our solidarity will extend beyond our shores at times of crisis.’
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