2 September 2014 – Misinformation about Ebola can only exacerbate an
already fragile situation, said United Nations officials at the highest level
today, urging international action and solidarity to help West African
countries deal with the myriad health and socioeconomic impacts of
current outbreak of the deadly virus.
“The fear factor plays a strong role in the crisis. I encourage the Member
States and businesses and individuals as well, to take decisions based on
scientific evidence, not on fear,”
urged UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan
Eliasson, as he opened a high-level briefing for Member States at UN
Headquarters in New York on the Organization’s response to the
unprecedented outbreak.
The latest number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases in affected countries
Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, stands at 3,069, with over
1,552 deaths, making this the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. An
unprecedented number of health care workers have also been infected and
died due to this outbreak.
Joining the Deputy Secretary-General were other senior UN officials
including Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health
Organization (
WHO), Dr. David Nabarro, the Senior United Nations System
Coordinator for Ebola, Anthony Lake, Executive Director of the UN
Children’s Fund (
UNICEF), and Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General
for Peacekeeping Operations.
“The outbreak is more than a health crisis,” said Mr. Eliasson, explain that
the health systems in the affected countries are overwhelmed by the
magnitude and complexity of the problem. These countries are finding it
extremely difficult to cope, and as such, the international community must
step up its efforts and help boost the capacity of the affected countries and
their health systems.
“As far as the UN is concerned, this is one of the most serious health
challenges we have ever faced. The reality on the ground is no different
from those caused by natural calamities and conflicts of great magnitude –
and in some ways even more difficult with dire consequences in several
other areas of society,” Mr. Eliasson said.
There have been strong responses by Governments, multilateral and
regional organisations, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and
other partners. At the country level, an enormous amount of work is
already being done by the UN Missions, peacekeeping operations and UN
Country Teams.
Mr. Eliasson went on to say that the Secretary-General has established a
United Nations System Ebola Virus Disease coordination mechanism to be
guided by leadership provided by WHO and Dr. Nabarro, who just returned
from visiting affected countries in West Africa.
“But we cannot do it alone. We need effective strategies, partnerships, and
capacities. There cannot be any weak links in this operational chain. We
also need to think in unconventional terms and demonstrate speed and
flexibility in defining and executing our strategies,” Mr. Eliasson said.
Explaining that the UN is faced with severe strains on its own staff working
in such difficult conditions, he said: “We may need to involve Member
States in this coordination task. I recall the Tsunami in Southeast Asia and
the Haiti earthquake when we had a more active role of Member States in
those operations.”
Meanwhile, on the ground, disruptions in food trade in the three West
African countries most affected by Ebola have made food increasingly
expensive and hard to come by, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
(
FAO) warned today.
“Access to food has become a pressing concern for many people in the
three affected countries and their neighbours,” said Bukar Tijani, FAO
Regional Representative for Africa in a
statement to the press.
In Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, quarantine zones aimed at combating
the spread of the virus have seriously curtailed the movement of food. This
has led to panic buying, food shortages and significant food price hikes on
some commodities, according to an alert issued by FAO's Global
Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS).
Labour shortages on farms due to movement restrictions and migration to
other areas will seriously impact farm production, jeopardizing the food
security of large numbers of people.
“With the main harvest now at risk and trade and movements of goods
severely restricted, food insecurity is poised to intensify in the weeks and
months to come. The situation will have long-lasting impacts on farmers'
livelihoods and rural economies,” Mr. Tijani added.
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are all net cereal importers, with Liberia
being the most reliant on external supplies. However, the closure of border
crossings and the isolation of border areas where the three countries
intersect are sharply increasing food prices. For example, in Liberia, the
price of cassava – drought-tolerant crops – went up 150 per cent within
the first weeks of August.
“Even prior to the Ebola outbreak, households in some of the affected
areas were spending up to 80 percent of their incomes on food,” said
Vincent Martin, Head of FAO’s Dakar-based Resilience Hub, which is
coordinating the agency's response.
“Now these latest price spikes are effectively putting food completely out
of their reach. This situation may have social repercussions that could lead
to subsequent impact on the disease containment,” Mr. Martin added.
According to WHO, the latest official number of Ebola virus disease cases
in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone stands at 3,069, with over
1,552 deaths, making this the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.
It is critical that rural communities understand which practices pose the
highest risks of human-to-human transmission as well as the potential
spill-over from wildlife. Toward that end, the FAO has activated its
networks to help sister agencies communicate risk to affected populations.
Meanwhile, to meet short-term food relief needs, the UN World Food
Programme (
WFP) has launched an emergency aid operation targeting
some 65,000 tonnes of food to 1.3 million people in health centres and
quarantine areas.
In a
statement today, WFP Regional Director for West Africa, Denise
Brown, said that her agency was also multiplying efforts to bring food
assistance to people in need and to provide logistical support to sister
agencies working to contain the virus.
WFP is deploying a total of 50 additional staff across the three most
affected countries and is urging it needs $70 million to carry out its aid
operations through November.
Meanwhile, yesterday in Dakar, Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the
UN Secretary- General for West Africa (SRSG), held a meeting with the
heads of UN regional support teams to review ongoing efforts made to
eradicate Ebola and provide support to people affected.
According to a
statement released today by the UN Office for West Africa
(
UNOWA), the Special Representative and the Regional Directors deplored
the ongoing socio-economic consequences of Ebola, including in particular
the isolation of the affected countries with the risk of stigmatizing people.
The solution is not in travel restrictions but in ensuring that effective
preventive and curative health measures are put in place. International
resource mobilization is critical as food insecurity could further undermine
national government efforts, they reiterated.
^^^ Did you notice they don't let Airport Screeners even wear a mask anymore?
(So as not to Stigmatize Ebola victims.) <--<<<
Really! 
Jump to about 4:15 into clip, for his wonderful advice and promises.
