Ebola Could Become the Biggest Humanitarian Disaster in a Generation
by Sangeeta Haindl
Door-to-door searches during a three-day curfew in Sierra identified more than 350 suspected new cases of Ebola, according to a U.S. diplomat, as the American public health institute the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) has been heavily involved in the emergency response. The United Nations has warned that the Ebola infections will treble to 20,000 by November if efforts to tackle the outbreak are not stepped up. Over the past six months, an Ebola outbreak has affected five countries in West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone). The current outbreak is unprecedented in scale and geographical reach: the present West Africa outbreak has a higher caseload than all other previous Ebola crises combined.
Scientists have warned that swift action is needed to curb the exponential climb in the Ebola outbreak. That is why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Centre (CCC) hosted an urgent conference call on 26 September to discuss the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The call was geared for officials from donor companies, corporate foundations, local chambers of commerce, humanitarian aid organisations and the media. It clearly outlined ways that the U.S. business community can help, as companies are mobilising their expertise, capabilities, and resources to assist with the Ebola outbreak in Africa. They have pledged $4.8 million in cash and additional in kind contributions in support of relief and recovery efforts. For example, Coca Cola has donated medical supplies, safe drinking water and cash, while Ecolab, a multi-national provider of hygiene products, has given 1.8m worth in germ sanitizers and disinfectants.
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Sangeeta Haindl writes on social innovation, social enterprise, and social entrepreneurs. She is the owner of Serendipity PR, in London, U.K., where she works with high-profile brands and organizations in the public, non-profit, and corporate sectors, winning awards for her work from the communications industry. She describes herself as a Spiritual Entrepreneur, Conscious Explorer, and Futurist. She enjoys helping others, paying it forward, and being a mum.
