Press action medeor

Naum Butoto, Managing Director of the Congolese organisation UGEAFI, and Thorsten Klose-Zuber, Director-General of the Bonn-based organisation Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, visited action medeor’s medicines warehouse in Tönisvorst together. Here, they gained a first-hand insight into the work of the ‘world’s emergency pharmacy’: The joint Ebola projects run by Help and UGEAFI in the DR Congo have also already been supplied with aid materials from action medeor’s medicines warehouse.

Butoto can speak from personal experience about just how important these deliveries are in the daily fight against Ebola: the virus continues to spread dramatically; according to official figures, there are already more than 5,500 confirmed cases. Almost 2,600 people have died so far as a result of infection. “The number of unreported cases is higher,” Butoto is certain.

Emmanuel Limi, Regional Team Leader for Francophone Africa at action medeor, was also able to provide first-hand information. Limi himself returned from the DR Congo just two weeks ago. He reports of families who have lost several relatives within a matter of days and of healthcare facilities that are completely overwhelmed.

The collaboration between action medeor and Help focuses in particular on the procurement and provision of personal protective equipment for aid workers, because: “People working in healthcare facilities are particularly at risk during an outbreak like this because they come into contact with many infected people – and at the same time, their work is especially important right now in containing the spread of the infection,” says Emmanuel Limi of action medeor.

Protective suits, masks, gloves, safety goggles and disinfectants have been transported from Tönisvorst to the Ituri region and distributed to local and international partner organisations. “This has already enabled us to equip around 120 nearby health centres,” says Limi.

“We are also supporting hygiene training for healthcare workers and awareness campaigns for the general public,” adds action medeor board member Angela Zeithammer. She emphasises that protecting healthcare workers is crucial to maintaining essential healthcare services.

Representatives from the three organisations also used the visit to discuss further needs and developments in the Ebola-affected region. “The current outbreak is spreading at an alarming rate,” says Thorsten Klose-Zuber. “Only through a coordinated, joint response do we stand a chance of containing the spread of the infection. That is why close cooperation with our local and national partners is so crucial.”

Anyone wishing to support the work of action medeor can make a donation to the German Medicines Aid Organisation action medeor e.V., Sparkasse Krefeld, IBAN: DE78 3205 0000 0000 0099 93, or donate online at www.medeor.de/spenden.

action medeor and Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe are member organisations of Aktion Deutschland Hilft. Aktion Deutschland Hilft is also appealing for donations for those affected by the Ebola epidemic: IBAN: DE62 3702 0500 0000 1020 30

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