Aid donation of £50k for PPE to help combat Ebola

A grant of £50,000 has been awarded to help support work to combat Ebola in central Africa.

On 17 May the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern.

The health agency said the rare species of Ebola, known as Bundibugyo, had no proven vaccine and resulted in the deaths of about a third of infected people.

The States of Guernsey said the donation by the Overseas Aid and Development Commission would help fund personal protective equipment (PPE) which was "critical for protecting frontline workers and enabling them to safely deliver essential care".

Deputy Jennifer Strachan, president of the Overseas Aid and Development Commission, said: "In the DR Congo today, thousands of families are living through fear, loss and unimaginable hardship.

"Behind every news headline or statistic is a person - a parent, a child or a care giver - caught in the path of this Ebola outbreak that is having devastating effects on the country."

She added the donation would fund PPE which would protect health and care workers, and those handling the deceased.

She added: "Ebola is not just the DR Congo's problem. Infectious diseases do not respect borders, as we learned all too well during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This donation shows that our compassion and our solidarity will extend beyond our shores at times of crisis."

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