10 South African Health Workers Leave For Sierra Leone In The Fight Against Ebola

Johannesburg, South Africa – Tuesday, 24 February 2015; South Africa's Department of Health, in conjunction with the African Union Support for Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA), bid farewell to the latest contingent of ten South African health workers who will join the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone on 22nd February. A total of 17 South Africans have been deployed under ASEOWA.

One of the health workers Denga Mashudu, said “I am particularly excited to be given the opportunity to make a real difference to people's lives. The people of Sierra Leone are still suffering from this terrible disease and I'm positive we'll be able to make a great contribution.”

Each health worker has undergone pre-deployment training and will participate in a further 2-week educational course on arrival.

“The African Union is very appreciative of South Africa's efforts over the past months to deploy health workers to the three most affected countries. The 10 health workers deployed today will make a difference as we continuously try to boost capacity and expertise on the ground,” explained the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

“The power of public-private partnerships is evident and much needed in the fight against Ebola. For instance, South African Airways donated the 21 air tickets for the health workers; it is participation such as this that will ultimately save lives,” concluded Dr. Dlamini-Zuma.

ASEOWA has deployed a total of 835 health workers since the outbreak to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The South African deployment brings the total to 852.

The African Union recently introduced a campaign, #AfricaAgainstEbola, to mobilise citizens in the fight against the disease. SMS “Stop Ebola” to 7979 or visit the campaign's official website, http://www.africaagainstebola.org/ to donate $1 or for more information.