You can help. shameless plug for the magnificent Medecins Sans Frontiere

[cali]

I just donated. Medecins has been leading the fight against ebola- and so much more. The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. They should get it again.

https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/truenorth/alt/landing_page_monthly.cfm?source=AZD140001D5

DRC: MSF treating Ebola in Equateur province despite difficult conditions

The Ebola outbreak that was declared in August in the Equateur province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has not yet been contained. The Ebola response teams, including 50 members of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), are currently working in very difficult conditions because of the lack of roads in the area, the misinformation in the local communities about the disease, and the risk of not treating those who might have been in touch with the virus. Two treatment centres have been established, one in Lokolia (40 beds) and one in Boende (10 beds).

<snip>

http://www.msf.org/article/drc-msf-treating-ebola-equateur-province-despite-difficult-conditions

Ebola crisis update - Sept 25th

Since the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was officially declared on 22 March in Guinea, it has claimed 2,811 lives. The outbreak is the largest ever, and is currently affecting five countries: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Senegal.

After repeated calls from MSF and others, countries like the US, UK, France, China and Cuba have started committing assets and personnel to the affected region. To this date, very little has materialised in concrete action on the ground. MSF is continuing its strong advocacy to mobilise states including a strong speech at the Security Council on the 18th September as a resolution to fight Ebola was unanimously voted.

MSF teams in West Africa are seeing critical gaps in all aspects of the response, including medical care, training of health staff, infection control, contact tracing, epidemiological surveillance, alert and referral systems, community education and mobilisation.

MSF has been responding to the outbreak since March, and currently has a total of 3,058 staff working in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Senegal, treating a rapidly increasing number of patients.

http://www.msf.org/article/ebola-crisis-update-sept-25th

[Mnemosyne]

1. K&R for the noble, caring work they do. nt

[jeff47]

2. Kick (nt)

[jeff47]

3. Kick, part deux (nt)

[MH1]

4. Another reason MSF should get your ebola fight $$$:

According to NPR - albeit a few weeks ago - of all the organizations with volunteers in Africa dealing with the ebola outbreak, MSF is one of the few - if not the only one - that has had ZERO volunteers contract the virus. Well, that is what they said then, a few weeks ago. I don't know if that is still true. But the point is, clearly MSF has very good protocols for protecting their people. Not surprisingly, as dealing with health crises is exactly why they exist.

The doctors we've heard about who contracted ebola and came back here for treatment, were with a religious-linked charity organization. While their willingness to risk themselves to help others is noble, it seems that the professional organization - MSF - is still the best for the task at hand.

[broiles]

5. I just made another donation to them.

[cali]

6. thank you so much