Rotary Responds to Ebola
Posted
on Sep 22, 2014
Rotary is about Polio eradication, right? Right. But you probably also know that the latest outbreak of the fatal Ebola virus, this time with a West African epicenter, is threatening to totally overwhelm struggling public healthcare systems in countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone. Have you wondered what Rotary is doing to address to this international health crisis?
Governor Mike has been wondering. And recently he contacted RI to ask for information about Rotary’s Ebola response. PolioPlus Coordinator Regina Rodrígues-Martin got back to him.
Rodrígues-Martin notes that while there is currently no broadly coordinated response, there are “many simultaneous efforts occurring … throughout the Rotary world” at the localized (club and district) level. One such project she is aware of involves shipment of containers packed with safety and protective gear and equipment from United States to Nigeria. Within Africa, the Rotary Club of Monrovia (Liberia) is developing a project for protective gear and fuel purchase, etc and has requested financial support.
Rodrígues-Martin also told Mike that “RI continues to follow the developments and is prepared to act on any requests from our technical partners,” the World Health Organization and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “RI remains a source of disease prevention and treatment information as well as a referral source to appropriate avenues of support,” said Rodrígues-Martin.