By Caribbean Medical News Staff
After the World Health Organization declared Ebola an “international emergency”, Ban Ki-moon Secretary General of the UN has launched another urgent appeal for funding to help fight the Ebola disease in the beleaguered West African nations of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Thus far, the UN head says that donations have not reached the target and the rest of the world needs to pitch in.
Despite trying to raise $1 billion dollars, the UN has only received $100 000 so far but the Gates Foundation and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook have already pledged millions. It is not clear whether this money is to go to the UN or to the US. Only Colombia has donated any funds i.e. $100 000
Many world leaders including President Barack Obama have criticized world leaders and called on others to step up to the plate and make the necessary donations in personnel, equipment, hazmat suits, medication and other useful donations to help contain the virus and stop its spread.
He joins a growing chorus of world leaders criticizing the global effort to tackle the Ebola outbreak.
The disease has killed about 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Donors have given almost $400m (£250m) to other UN agencies and aid organizations directly but the UN trust fund, intended to act as a flexible spending reserve, has itself only received pledges of just $20m (£12m).
Meanwhile UN special envoy on Ebola, David Nabarro said the fund was intended to offer “flexibility in responding to a crisis which every day brings new challenges. It allows the areas of greatest need to be identified and funds to be directed accordingly,” he added.
The disease has killed upwards of 4000 and according to the WHO, we can see as many as 10 000 cases weekly if something is not done to fight the disease.
Eric Duncan became the first person traveling from Liberia to be diagnosed with Ebola in the US and since then two nurses who have worked with him contracted the disease. Two missionaries have also fallen ill. There have been reports of a nurse contracting Ebola in Spain and of a UK case and two cases in Germany.
