RED CROSS TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL MINISTERIAL MEETING ON EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE IN WEST AFRICA

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- From 2 – 3 July, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will join other partners in Accra, Ghana, for a special ministerial meeting on Ebola virus disease. The meeting was called by the World Health Organization (WHO) in an attempt to interrupt the further spread of the deadly disease.

Ministers of health from eleven West African countries will discuss with partners, including the Red Cross, WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières, the best ways of collectively addressing the Ebola outbreak, and develop a regional response plan.

As auxiliary to government, and with its volunteer networks, the Red Cross is well placed to assist in the development and execution of a response plan. To date, the Red Cross has launched emergency response operations in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and preparedness operations in Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Senegal. These operations will reach a total of more than 10 million people.

IFRC will have a team in Accra, actively participating in the two-day session. Team members include health, water and sanitation specialists, as well as emergency operations personnel based in the affected countries.