Extra UK aid to help stop the spread of Ebola to vulnerable countries

Countries at risk of Ebola will receive extra UK aid support to help stop the deadly disease from spreading, International Development Secretary Alok Sharma announced yesterday.

Since the epidemic began last August, the UK has been a major donor to the Ebola response and has now allocated a further £8 million for countries neighbouring the DRC, such as Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi and Rwanda, as the likelihood of Ebola spreading to these countries is high.

Trusted partners will use this money for prevention work to help contain the outbreak and stop its spread. The funding will deliver more temperature checks at border crossings, support Ebola treatment units, provide clean water and sanitation, and enable engagement with local communities to raise awareness of the dangers of Ebola.

International Development Secretary Alok Sharma said: “This UK aid to countries that neighbour the DRC will make a real difference in helping to prevent further spread of this deadly outbreak.

“Livelihoods depend on people being able to cross borders safely so it is essential we continue to put in place the tools to contain Ebola. If we don’t, the outbreak will spread and many thousands more could suffer – ultimately Ebola is a potential threat to us all.”

There have been more than 2,850 cases in the DRC and almost 2,000 people have died from the disease. Three cases of Ebola were found in Uganda in June. The treatment centre where the cases were taken in the first instance was funded by UK aid and swift action prevented the spread of infection.

During a visit to Uganda this week, Mr Sharma will see first-hand how existing UK support has helped to:

build two treatment units
train health workers in 22 districts
fund 16 ambulances to help people in areas most at risk
provide protective clothing for health workers and thermometers at borders to screen people
vaccinate health workers.

Ebola: one year on

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the first reported case of Ebola in Sierra Leone. International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:

“A year ago today it was confirmed that the deadly Ebola virus had reached Sierra Leone. In the months that followed this terrible disease swept across the country claiming thousands of lives, devastating communities and temporarily crippling the economy.

“The UK can be immensely proud of its life saving work leading the international humanitarian response in Sierra Leone. Working hand in hand with the government of Sierra Leone and its people, we have supported them through every step of this disease — setting up labs to quickly diagnose Ebola, raising awareness about how the disease is spread, building treatment centres, training frontline health workers, and funding teams to provide safe and dignified burials. The number of cases has now fallen from a peak of over 500 a week in November to just 8 last week. We won’t have won this battle until we get to zero infections and stamp out Ebola. We will continue to work with Sierra Leone’s government and local communities to seek out and isolate every new case.

“There is no room for complacency, but we hope that the end is in sight. The UK will continue to stand by Sierra Leone until the job is done but it is vital that others now join us to help Sierra Leone get back on its feet. UK support will help get health and education services up and running, kick start the economy and protect the people most affected by the disease — including the children who lost their families. We cannot wipe out the suffering this disease has inflicted but we can help to build a stronger, more prosperous Sierra Leone that is better prepared to tackle disease outbreaks in the future.”

Another patient tested for Ebola

A patient is being tested for Ebola at the Western General Hospital after feeling unwell on returning from West Africa. The patient, who has not been named, was admitted to the specialist unit at the Western earlier today.

The test results are likely to be known later tonight or early tomorrow morning.

NHS Lothian Nurse Director Melanie Johnson said: “A patient who recently returned to Scotland from West Africa has been admitted to our Regional Infectious Diseases Unit (RIDU) at the Western General Hospital after reporting a raised temperature.

“The patient will be screened for possible infections and as a precaution will be kept in isolation. We have robust systems in place to manage patients with suspected infectious diseases and follow agreed and tested national guidelines.”

Pauline Cafferkey went out to Africa to assist in the Ebola aid effort and became the first Scot to be diagnosed with the disease when she returned to Glasgow in December. Transferred from the Western to London’s Royal Free Hospital after tests proved positive, the nurse was in a critical condition at one point but has since made a strong recovery.

Western General patient’s Ebola test clear

Tests for Ebola on a Fife woman who recently returned from west Africa have proved NEGATIVE.

The woman was admitted to the Western General Hospital yesterday after developing a fever and she is now being treated in an isolation unit at the hospital’s Regional Infectious Diseases Unit (RIDU).

Melanie Johnson, Director of Unscheduled Care at NHS Lothian, said last night: “A patient who recently returned to Scotland from west Africa has been admitted to our at the Western General Hospital after they reported a raised temperature.

“As a precautionary measure, and in line with agreed procedures, the patient will be screened for possible infections and will be kept in isolation. We have robust systems in place to manage patients with suspected infectious diseases and follow agreed and tested national guidelines.”

It has since been confirmed that the patient, who lives in Fife, does NOT have the Ebola virus.

Ebola: it’s here

Public health risk ‘extremely low’

A health worker who was diagnosed with Ebola after returning to Scotland from Sierra Leone is now being treated an isolation unit in London’s specialist Royal Free Hospital. Her condition is described as ‘stable’.

The health worker travelled back to Glasgow via Casablanca and London Heathrow. Passengers on those flights are now being traced but public health officials say the risk to the public is ‘very low’.

When the confirmed case of Ebola was diagnosed in Glasgow last night, NHS Scotland infectious diseases procedures were put into effect – the patient was isolated and received treatment in the specialist Brownlee Unit for Infectious Diseases at Gartnavel Hospital before her transfer to London early this morning.

The patient is a health care worker who was helping to combat the disease in west Africa. She returned to Scotland from Sierra Leone late on Sunday night. She left Sierra Leone on 28 December and was a passenger on flight AT596 from Freetown to Casablanca, flight AT0800 from Casablanca to London, and transferred at Heathrow to flight BA1478 for onward travel to Glasgow.

The patient was admitted to hospital early yesterday morning after feeling unwell and was placed into isolation at 7.50am. All possible contacts with the patient are now being investigated and anyone deemed to be at risk will be contacted and closely monitored. However, having been diagnosed in the very early stages of the illness, the risk to others is considered extremely low.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Committee (SGoRR) last night to ensure all necessary steps are being taken, and also spoke to Prime Minister David Cameron – according to UK and Scottish protocol for anyone diagnosed with Ebola, the patient will be transferred to the high level isolation unit in the Royal Free hospital, London, as soon as possible. This is where the facilities, staff and systems are in place to ensure the best quality and safest care.

While public health experts have emphasised that the risks are negligible, a telephone helpline has been set up for anyone who was on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight on Sunday.

The number is: 08000 858531

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told a press conference last night: “Our first thoughts at this time must be with the patient diagnosed with Ebola and their friends and family. I wish them a speedy recovery.

“Scotland has been preparing for this possibility from the beginning of the outbreak in West Africa and I am confident that we are well prepared.

“We have the robust procedures in place to identify cases rapidly. Our health service also has the expertise and facilities to ensure that confirmed Ebola cases such as this are contained and isolated effectively minimising any potential spread of the disease.

“Scotland’s NHS has proved it is well able to cope with infectious diseases in the past, such as swine flu, and I am confident we will be able to respond effectively again.”

The risk of infection to other passengers on the flights is considered extremely low. However, as a precaution, Public Health England is arranging for all passengers and crew on the flight from Casablanca to Heathrow to be provided with health information and will be contacting and following up those passengers who were sitting near the affected passenger on these flights. Health Protection Scotland is carrying out a similar exercise for the passengers on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight.

Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the bodily fluids, such as blood, vomit or faeces, of an infected person while they are symptomatic. Therefore, the risk of Ebola being passed from an individual before they developed symptoms is extremely low.

As before, the advice is that if anyone is worried about symptoms (such as fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore throat or rash) within 21 days of coming back from Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone, they should stay at home and immediately telephone 111 or 999 and explain they believe they have come into contact with someone with Ebola.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, England’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “Our thoughts are with this individual who, along with other NHS and public health colleagues, has been doing a fantastic job saving lives.

“The UK and Scottish governments and English and Scottish health authorities are working together to make sure that this individual receives the best possible care. UK hospitals have a proven track record of dealing with imported infectious diseases.

“It is important to be reassured that although a case has been identified, the overall the risk to the public continues to be low.

We have robust, well-developed and well-tested NHS systems for managing unusual infectious diseases when they arise, supported by a wide range of experts. The UK system was prepared, and reacted as planned, when this case of Ebola was identified.

Professor Paul Cosford, Director for Health Protection and Medical Director at PHE, said: “For Ebola to be transmitted from one person to another contact with blood or other body fluids is needed. The individual involved did not experience any symptoms consistent with the transmission of Ebola, and as such, the risk that this infection will have been passed from the affected individual to others is extremely unlikely.

“However as a precaution, PHE is following up all those in the vicinity of the passenger on the flight to the UK to ensure anyone who feels unwell undergoes a medical assessment rapidly. Our colleagues at Health Protection Scotland are carrying out a similar exercise for the passengers on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight.

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s Medical Director, said:

“The NHS is prepared. The Royal Free hospital has an international standard infectious diseases team with experience treating dangerous diseases including Ebola. Staff who treat these patients have volunteered in the same way as those working in West Africa – testament to their dedication and professionalism.”

NHS volunteers head out to Sierra Leone

More than 30 NHS staff from across the UK departed for Sierra Leone yesterday to join Britain’s fight against Ebola – the first group of NHS volunteers to be deployed by the UK government.

The British team will now complete a week of training in Freetown before moving to British-built Ebola treatment centres across the country.

Following this training and acclimatisation, the group – which includes GPs, nurses, clinicians, psychiatrists and consultants in emergency medicine – will begin work setting up procedures, diagnosing and treating people who have contracted the deadly virus.

They will work in treatment centres built by British Army Royal Engineers and funded by the Department for International Development.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “Our fight against Ebola in West Africa is one of Britain’s biggest responses to a disease outbreak. Almost a thousand military personnel, scientists, healthcare and aid workers are already on the ground in Sierra Leone working to contain, control and defeat this terrible disease.

“But to beat Ebola we desperately need the experience and dedication of skilled doctors and nurses to care for the thousands of sick and dying patients who are not receiving the treatment they need.

“Every one of these NHS heroes will play a vital role in the fight against Ebola. It is only because of their combined efforts that we stand a chance of defeating this disease.”

'Auld enemy' clash to help boost Ebola response

Government to match up to £5 m of public donations to UNICEF’s Ebola appeal

The British government will support a major fundraising appeal to help children who have been made orphans because of Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Up to £5 million of donations from members of the British public to UNICEF’s Ebola appeal will be matched by the UK Government, providing urgent support for families and children living under the threat of the disease.

Building on the success of SoccerAid, UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation, will use the upcoming Scotland v England football match to boost their emergency appeal. Britain and Sierra Leone share a mutual love of the beautiful game, making this appeal particularly poignant due to the fact that football matches in Sierra Leone have been cancelled since August.

Ebola has put thousands of children in danger with many being orphaned by the disease. With schools closed, children have been cut off from their friends and many are fighting for survival on a daily basis. This funding will help care for and protect some of the most vulnerable children, especially those who have lost their parents and are in desperate need of food and other supplies.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The UK has secured real action from G20 leaders here in Brisbane but the generosity of the British people in helping those caught up in the Ebola crisis in West Africa has been second to none. That’s why we will match up to £5m of the money raised during Tuesday’s match, helping to make a real difference to the families and children living under the threat of the disease.”

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “This week’s Scotland v England match will give the British public the chance to show their support for UNICEF’s Ebola appeal in Sierra Leone.

“By matching pound for pound all public donations to the appeal we will help UNICEF give double the support to children who have been orphaned and had their lives turned upside down by this dreadful disease.”

This is the second time the Government has activated the UK Aid Match Scheme in response to Ebola, underlining the unprecedented nature of this outbreak. The British people have already responded generously to the DEC appeal and again the government is helping this appeal go twice as far by matching donations from the UK public pound-for-pound.

The UK has committed £230 million to date supporting the global effort to contain, control and defeat the disease in Sierra Leone. This includes:

Supporting 700 treatment beds to help up to 8,800 patients over 6 months;
Opening up to 200 Community Care Centres where people who suspect they might be suffering from the disease can seek swift and accurate diagnosis and appropriate care;
Building, running and staffing three new labs in Sierra Leone to help check the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, quadrupling the number of tests that can be carried out every day;
Supporting NGOs on the ground to work with people to agree practices which will allow them to honour their friends and relatives, while ensuring bodies are safely buried;
Doubling the number of burial teams in Freetown – and providing twenty more across the country. We have already made extensive progress on this, with UK support burial teams in the western area, which accounts for approximately a third of Sierra Leone’s population, are now burying 100% of reported bodies within 24 hours and,
Supporting a command and control centre to manage burials and Ebola patients across Freetown and the Western area.

In addition, RFA Argus and three Merlin helicopters are in Sierra Leone to deliver transportation and logistical support for medical teams and aid experts working in the country. In total, around 800 military personnel have been deployed to help with the establishment of Ebola treatment centres and an Ebola training academy.

DEC launches Ebola crisis appeal

DEC launches first ever appeal in response to disease outbreak

Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) member agencies are scaling up their aid efforts in West Africa where they have already helped over 2.5m people affected by the Ebola crisis. The DEC launched its Ebola Crisis Appeal yesterday with appeals carried by all major UK broadcasters.

The urgent appeal for funds is essential to help member agencies intensify their efforts to stop the explosive spread of the disease and support those affected.

DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “Aid workers are on the front line in the fight against Ebola. Some are facing great risk and local staff and partners are also being ostracised by their friends and families because people are so terrified.

“This is a price they are prepared to pay as they struggle to stop the spread of the disease and support those affected by the crisis. They need your help NOW not only to support medical treatment but to bury the dead safely, care for Ebola orphans, help families disinfect their homes, provide food to people in quarantine and, critically, to teach communities how to keep themselves safe and stop the spread of Ebola.”

This is the first time in the DEC’s 50-year history that it has launched an appeal in response to a disease outbreak: an historic move that reflects the scale of the situation.

The Ebola outbreak is the most severe the world has ever seen: it has so far infected 10,000 people and killed nearly 5,000 more, with the World Health Organisation warning of up to 10,000 new cases a week by December if it is not contained.

All major UK broadcasters carryied the DEC appeal yesterday, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. The appeal is also supported by other major DEC partners including ITN, BT, Post Office, British Bankers Association, Royal Mail, RadioCentre and NewsNow.

In addition to the 2.5 million people reached by DEC member agencies’ efforts, several hundreds of thousands more have been targeted by radio broadcasts and print materials containing life-saving messages on how communities can safeguard themselves from the disease.

Amongst the aid delivered activities so far include:

ActionAid has reached over 271,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia, delivering sanitation supplies to medical facilities, giving food and clothing to affected families and running public information campaigns.
British Red Cross partners have buried 3,595 victims of Ebola safely and with dignity across Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. They have helped to trace over 41,000 at-risk individuals.
CAFOD is giving food aid to over 9,000 quarantined families, providing sanitation materials and training faith leaders to raise awareness of safe burial practices.
CARE International has distributed hygiene packs to 1,100 vulnerable and quarantined households in Sierra Leone, reaching 53,000 people. The kits include soap, buckets fitted with taps and other essential materials.
Christian Aid is distributing food and hygiene kits to over 2,000 quarantined residents in Ebola hotspots and has reached 1.2 million people with awareness raising work, run by 900 volunteers using existing community networks.
Concern Worldwide is managing burial teams, educating communities on prevention methods and supporting district health workers. It has reached 170,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Oxfam is providing hygiene kits, giving health and burial workers protective clothing, supplying water to treatment and isolation centres, and co-ordinating door-to-door awareness-raising campaigns. It has reached almost 500,000 people.
Plan UK is giving psychosocial care to children, and has distributed food and sanitation kits to nearly 45,000 people.
Save the Children are building and managing health and community care centres where Ebola sufferers can be isolated and treated. It is training health volunteers and providing medical supplies.
Tearfund is working with over 1,000 churches to curb transmission, reaching over 350,000 people with prevention advice and distributing 2,600 hygiene kits to families.
World Vision has reached 7,500 people in mosques and churches with disease prevention advice and is providing materials to health workers.

The DEC does not set fundraising targets for its appeals and is always grateful for whatever support the UK public are able to offer.

To make a donation to the DEC Ebola Crisis Appeal visit www.dec.org.uk or call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.

What your money could buy:

£25 can provide cleaning kits including bleach, soap and a bucket for three families at risk from Ebola.
£50 can provide basic protective clothing such as gloves, masks, boots and gowns for three volunteers supporting people under quarantine.
£100 can provide training to a community on how to keep themselves safe and help stop the spread of Ebola.

Stay up to date with developments in Ebola, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts with the DEC on twitter:http://twitter.com/decappeal or on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee

pictures: Getty Images

More lifesaving UK aid arrives in Sierra Leone

Britain’s latest Ebola aid flight, carrying lifesaving medicines, landed in Freetown yesterday, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has confirmed.

This was the UK’s tenth aid flight and carried the first batch of medicines, including morphine and antibiotics, from the UK for the 92 bed treatment facility in Kerry Town, which is nearing completion.

The cargo also included a chiller van vital for transporting heat sensitive medicines in temperatures that can reach up to 40°C and five additional 4×4 vehicles needed to ensure that vital stocks can be transported to the 6 treatment centres the UK is building to help defeat Ebola.

Justine Greening said: “The UK has mounted a huge response to the Ebola outbreak, dispatching ten aid flights so far, carrying hundreds of tonnes of supplies for our treatment centres which will care for up to 8,800 patients over 6 months. I have just returned from Freetown where I saw first-hand the scale of the outbreak and the central role that the UK is playing in helping Sierra Leone defeat Ebola.”

Aid supplies delivered so far now include: 58 vehicles including ambulances; 75 water tanks; 3 incinerators for disposing of clothing and other materials; 12 generators; personal protection equipment; radio equipment; lighting sets; chlorine for sanitation; WC facilities; temporary warehouse tents; 14 air conditioning units and isolator equipment.

Ebola: UK ready as UN calls for for more funds

United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon has urged the world to do more to help the West African countries stricken by the Ebola virus outbreak. He has launched another urgent appeal for funds to help fight Ebola after a United Nations drive for donations fell far short of its target.

The UN chief said a $1bn trust fund he launched in September has received just $100,000 (£62,000) so far. Despite pledges, only Columbia has paid in full – although donors have given over £250 million to other UN and aid agencies.

Mr Ban said it was time for the countries “who really have capacity” to provide financial and other logistical support, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan told the BBC’s Newsnight he was “bitterly disappointed” with the international community’s response. “If the crisis had hit some other region it probably would have been handled very differently, ” he said. “In fact when you look at the evolution of the crisis, the international community really woke up when the disease got to America and Europe”.

Both UK and Scottish governments have supported financial appeals and they continue to closely monitor the situation.

The Prime Minister chaired a COBR meeting on Ebola yesterday to discuss the situation on the ground, the UK response and domestic preparedness. In a statement, a Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister chaired a further COBR meeting on Ebola this afternoon (Thursday 16 October). The attendees included the Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Health Secretary, Transport Secretary, International Development Secretary and Armed Forces Minister.

The meeting covered the situation on the ground, the UK response and domestic preparedness for potential cases of ebola. The advice from the Chief Medical Officer is that the risk to the UK from the disease remained low.

The International Development Secretary updated the meeting on the UK aid response and how the UK is leading the international response in Sierra Leone. The package is focussed on improving facilities, training staff and supporting the Sierra Leone government. This included the building of 6 new Ebola Treatment Facilities, local community care units and specific training for health workers, all of which remain on track.

The Armed Forces Minister set out that the military deployment continued to move forward with speed. RFA ARGUS would depart Falmouth tomorrow, taking 3 Merlin helicopters, and would stop in Gibraltar to collect 39 DfID vehicles. It is expected to arrive off of Freetown at the end of the month. Today, just over 100 members of 22 Field Hospital had deployed to commence establishing an Ebola Viral Disease Treatment Unit in Kerrytown. A number of engineers on the same flight will commence development of the Ebola Training Academy, with the first course delivered by the end of October.

There was a discussion over the need for the international community to do much more to support the fight against the disease in the region. This included greater co-ordination of the international effort, an increase in the amount of spending and more support for international workers who were, or who were considering, working in the region. The Prime Minister set out that he wanted to make progress on these issues at the European Council next week.

There was a detailed update about plans for protecting the UK against Ebola. The Health Secretary set out that screening was up and running across all Heathrow terminals and would be in place at Gatwick and St Pancras during the next week. There was a discussion regarding screening across Europe and the Prime Minister made clear other countries needed to do more and introduce their own checks if we are to strengthen protection across the board.

The Health Secretary set out that the national exercise to test UK preparedness had gone well. The system had responded well to two separate test incidents taking place at the same time. Contingency planning would continue and further advice is now being distributed to GP surgeries and other NHS institutions to ensure staff were fully aware on what to do if they suspected a patient may have Ebola.

The Scottish Government Resilience Committee (SGoRR) met on Wednesday evening to discuss the latest developments in Scotland’s response to the Ebola outbreak in west Africa.

The meeting was attended by First Minister Alex Salmond, and Health Secretary Alex Neil, along with experts in infectious diseases from Health Protection Scotland and senior officials from the Scottish Government.

Ministers were updated on the latest situation in the three affected countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. They were also given updates on how Scotland’s health service is preparing for a possible case, and steps being taken by the oil industry to protect workers who are returning from west Africa.

The First Minister said: “The Scottish Government’s approach to Ebola is two-fold. First and foremost, we must make sure that Scotland is as prepared as possible to deal with the risk of an Ebola case appearing on our shores. Secondly, we must do all we can to help with the situation in west Africa to try and contain this infection and ultimately bring it under control. We have already donated £500,000 to help the World Health Organisation’s efforts to combat Ebola and we stand ready to provide further assistance as and when required.

“The risk of an Ebola case in Scotland remains low. However, we are far from complacent, and I am confident that Scotland’s health service is well prepared to deal with any suspected Ebola cases. We will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that all appropriate checks are in place to protect the people of Scotland.”

Mr Neil said: “Scotland has four infectious disease centres which are ready to deal with any suspected cases of Ebola-type diseases. We have ensured that guidance has been issued to health professionals to ensure that they are well equipped to know how to deal with any suspected cases, and we are well stocked with all the necessary protective equipment.

“Scotland has dealt with infectious diseases in the past, including swine flu and a case of viral haemorrhagic fever, similar to Ebola, in 2012. I am fully confident that we have the systems and expertise in place to cope well in this instance if required.”

The disease has killed around 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.