ChildFund International staff working in Liberia received 15,000 pounds of emergency medical supplies delivered by humanitarian airlift to help contain the spread of the Ebola virus. Manned by two volunteer crews, the 737 jet carried five pallets of personal protection equipment and hygiene supplies for ChildFund in response to urgent requests from staff and health care professionals in Liberia.
“ChildFund Liberia has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and its county health teams to raise awareness on the Ebola virus”
The airlift came about through a collaboration spanning the corporate and nonprofit sectors. ChildFund’s participation in the airlift would not be possible without the support of AIRLINK, ATX Air Services, Procter & Gamble and Advocates for World Health as well as a chain of goodwill among more than 100 people. Four other nonprofit organizations joined ChildFund in filling the plane with supplies – AFYA Foundation, AmeriCares, Direct Relief and MedShare. Logistical support on the ground was provided by UPS, FedEx, ALAN, LIFT and Rock-IT Cargo.
“The response of our staff and partners has been remarkable; we can now deliver and provide lifesaving medical supplies requested by the hospitals and clinics we serve in these countries,” says Anne Lynam Goddard, ChildFund president & CEO. “We are honored to work with leading corporations and fellow nonprofits to meet West Africa’s most urgent medical needs and save lives together.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization report that the current Ebola virus outbreak is the deadliest on record. Although there is no known cure for this disease, early intervention can help to boost survival rates; 47 percent of those infected are surviving. However, health workers are in desperate need of supplies to treat symptoms and contain the virus.
While Ebola is the main challenge at the moment, the breadth and depth of this outbreak has pushed Liberia’s health system to its limit. It is predicted that the number of deaths from malaria, pneumonia and childbirth will increase due to Ebola because people are afraid to seek treatment in hospitals. As a child-focused organization, ChildFund has an essential role in helping restore safe delivery options for pregnant women by getting these supplies to Lofa, the hardest-hit county in Liberia and ChildFund’s main project area.
Once ChildFund delivers these supplies through the Ministry of Health of Social Welfare, the organization will focus its efforts on helping meet the needs of children and youth orphaned and stigmatized due to having lost family members to the virus.
Anthony Klay Sie, program manager for ChildFund Liberia, says, “Since the Ebola outbreak, one of the hardest parts of my job has been the challenge to fill urgent requests for supplies that often mean the difference between life and death. It feels tremendous to finally be able to say, ‘Yes, we can help you.’”
“ChildFund Liberia has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and its county health teams to raise awareness on the Ebola virus,” he adds. “I am so glad that we have gone a step further by procuring, airlifting and distributing essential response materials. These supplies will directly complement the efforts of the Government of Liberia and other stakeholders in addressing this emergency.”
About ChildFund
ChildFund International is a global child development and protection agency serving more than 18.1 million children and family members in 30 countries. For 75 years, we have helped the world’s deprived, excluded and vulnerable children survive and thrive to reach their full potential and become leaders of enduring change. As a member of ChildFund Alliance, we create supportive environments in which children can flourish. For more information about ChildFund visit www.ChildFund.org.
Contacts
ChildFund International
For Africa media:
Kimberly Niles, +221 33 865 20 21
+221 76 644 10 76
KNiles@ChildFund.org
or
For U.S. media:
Betsy Edwards, 804-756-2722
804-402-9944
BEdwards@ChildFund.org
