Africa Is Experiencing an Ebola Virus Outbreak Nightmare, But Look Who Is On the Front Lines Fighting It at Risk to Their Own Lives

News Release : Jul 17, 2014
DeMoss News

Samaritan's Purse has been responding to the outbreak since March and has now intensified efforts by sending additional teams of doctors, nurses and relief experts to Liberia.

(Boone, NC)—The Ebola outbreak in West Africa continues to spread at a frightening rate, killing hundreds of people with many more now testing positive for the highly contagious virus. As part of the effort to help contain the outbreak, international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse has now assumed responsibility for operating an Ebola isolation center in Liberia. The facility, also known as a case management center, is located in Foya near the border with Guinea—ground zero in Liberia’s battle against this killer virus and the only treatment point in that area as the disease continues to breach the border. (Graphic via Samaritan's Purse)

The Ebola outbreak began in Guinea and has now spread to the countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone. The virus causes massive internal bleeding and has a mortality rate of up to 90 percent.

Samaritan's Purse has been responding to the outbreak since March and has now intensified efforts by sending additional teams of doctors, nurses and relief experts to Liberia. These medical teams are providing direct clinical care to people infected with the killer virus, not only at the clinic in Foya, but also at a treatment and isolation center at ELWA Hospital just outside Monrovia, Liberia's capital.

But an essential component of the Samaritan's Purse effort is to reach people before they need medical treatment. So far the organization has trained more than 400,000 people in hygiene awareness to help reduce the risk of them catching and spreading the Ebola virus.

"This is the largest outbreak of Ebola since it was first discovered in 1976 and it is the largest outbreak in Western Africa, with cases now showing up in national capital cities," said Ken Isaacs, vice president of programs and government relations for Samaritan's Purse. "Along with medical treatment, awareness and education are the keys to containing this outbreak."

Samaritan's Purse aircraft are being used to ship critical supplies and medical personnel. The organization is working closely with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and government health officials.