The testing of a new vaccine (VSV-ZEBOV) in Sierra Leone can potentially prevent the spread of the deadly disease. While the current World Heath Organisation report states that new Ebola cases are at the lowest level since May 2014, the Ebola crisis continues to be a significant health problem in West Africa. Since the outbreak began just 16 months ago, over 25 000 people have been infected with over 10 000 of those succumbing to the disease. The new vaccine may prove to be a great tool in protecting these workers and others as we work to eradicate Ebola from Africa and the rest of the world.
"Ebola is currently facing defeat, but is not yet defeated," Kaloko explained. "The continued support of international communities has proven exceptionally effective in stimulating engagement and the recovery process; one of the key developments recently was the signing of an agreement by the United States government and the AU to create the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (African CDC) in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
The African CDC is expected to launch later this year with the opening of a surveillance and response unit, which will provide technical expertise and help coordinate response to health emergencies across the continent.
"The African Union is confident that the formation and launch of the African CDC will ensure the resilience and ability of all African nations to successfully manage epidemics in the future. We continue to fight the Ebola epidemic as the African Union Support to West Africa continues to deploy health workers to the three affected countries. Furthermore, our fund raising efforts in the form of the #AfricaAgainstEbola campaign are on-going and we will not stop until Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea reach zero cases," Kaloko concluded.
About #AfricaAgainstEbola:
The #AfricaAgainstEbola campaign is coordinated by the Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust, a registered charity, in partnership with the African Union. All donations made to the Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust will be used to train, equip and deploy African health workers in the fight against Ebola and to build long term local health capacity. In partnership with the African Union, our mission is to mobilise resources to send much-needed health workers – drawn from within Africa – to the Ebola-afflicted countries. Under the operational coordination of the African Union Support to West Africa (ASEOWA), trained doctors and nurses will care for those infected, help contain the disease and strengthen local hospitals and care centers. Our vision is a resilient Africa that is able to respond effectively and rapidly in times of crisis.
For more information, visit the #AfricaAgainstEbola website.