West Africa Needs Our Help

In the past 9 months, the Ebola Virus has ravaged the countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. With the total death count reaching almost 7,000, these countries have an extremely limited medical infrastructure.  According to the World Bank data, the average amount of physicians to patients is 8 to 100,000.  With that being said, anything that you can spare to be sent to these countries will go a very long way. Below are 5 reputable organizations that will guarantee that your donation is well spent. 

1. 

Reaching 5.5 Million people in West Africa, Unicef has sent about 550 tons of supplies in the last few weeks, including protective gear, hygiene items and medicines that are in desperate need of. 

2. 

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ volunteers have been trained and deployed.  They dispose of bodies, trace the path of the disease and provide emotional support to disease affected areas.  Their goal is to train 5,600 more volunteers to provide more geographical support. 

3.  

The World Food Programme has provided food and assistance to more than 430,000 people affected by the Ebola crisis. Rice, lentils, cooking oil and rations are being distributed, food for hospital patients is cooked by partner organizations, and quarantined populations get the food and take it home to prepare.

4.

(From right to left: Dr. Jordan Tappero; Dr. Armand Sprecher,MSF; Dr. Tom Frieden, Director, CDC; and Dr. Joel Montgomery, CDC. Photographer: Athalia Christie)

Since March, Doctors Without Borders has been active in 5 countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, and Liberia.  They employ 239 internationally and 2, 000 locally hired regional staff.  Thus far they have provided 500 plus hospital beds in isolation, and out of the 1,700 patients treated 520 have survived.  They have also provided 450 tons of supplies. 

5. 

Save the Children works in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to help prevent the spread of the virus, by training health workers, teaching tens of thousands of people in communities about how to limit the risks to themselves and their families, distributing protective kits, and providing much needed medical equipment.