134 nations respond to the call
With the ebola scare making headlines around the world and threatening the lives of many, more than 134 nations came together to pass a resolution pledging to tackle the deadly outbreak with urgency and vigor.
In her remarks at the General session on ebola in New York, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power said nations around the world are responding to the ebola epidemic with brave efforts and aid.
She reported that Cuba for one has already sent 165 health professionals to the region and plans to send nearly 300 more. In addition, Timor-Leste pledged $2 million to the effort – what the Prime Minister Gusmao called an act of “Fragile-to-Fragile” cooperation, from one conflict-affected country to others.
Also, 24 countries have pledged $1 million or more to the effort.
US as largest contributor
According to Ms.Power, the United States has contributed more than $156 million to fighting Ebola and deployed more than 100 experts from our CDC.
Ebola as a challlenge of a generation
According to Ms. Power, the world is facing a horrifying epidemic as its victims come in all ages. It victims include children’s education in Sierra Leone, where schools have been closed since July.
“As the world’s response lags, Ebola’s spread is having a devastating impact beyond the individuals it infects.” – Ms. Power
The challenge calls for more nurses, more doctors, more health workers and technicians, more treatment units with more beds and more labs, more protective gear, more medevac capacity, and more money to meet rising costs.
Ebola is a hemorrhagic fever with symptoms similar to that of extreme radiation exposure. Hemorrhagic refers to blood and a hemorrhagic disease is one which essentially breaks down the blood vessels and blood leaks into the body, lungs, and intestines.
Accordng to UN, ebola killed 2,300 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Libera out of 4,269 cases.
The countries bearing the brunt of the epidemic are among the world’s poorest. Liberia has been by far the hardest hit by the epidemic.
