06 Jun 2018   

UNICEF reach over 300,000 with Ebola protection campaign

Over 300,000 people have been reached by UNICEF and its partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo following an Ebola outbreak. Those reached have received lifesaving information on how to avoid contracting the virus as part of an ongoing awareness raising programme.

The awareness campaign includes in-person home visits, outreach to vulnerable people and the mobilisation of community leaders and mass media.

Dr. Gianfranco Rotigliano, UNICEF Representative in the DRC commented:

“Information and social mobilization are key to containing Ebola”

“During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, we learned that active involvement of local communities is essential in sharing information about how to stay safe, and that will ultimately help to stop the spread of the disease.”

Children are particularly vulnerable to the virus and one in ten of those infected are children, while hundreds of children and family members have been in contact with infected people.

UNICEF are working with over 2,500 teachers and 53,000 pupils to raise awareness on prevention and protection methods. Schools are a key point of contact for UNICEF to promote good hygiene to children.

Similarly, young reporters have also been trained on the importance of good hygiene as a prevention method and are sharing this with their peers.

An important part of the Ebola vaccination campaign is community outreach; the government and its partners have vaccinated over 1,100 healthcare workers who have been in contact with infected individuals.

The vaccination strategy also involves counselling to health workers and further information on the vaccine and its administration. In addition, 49 public sites including ports, markets and offices have been equipped with handwashing units.

UNICEF has appealed for $11.5 million USD in support of its Ebola response plan, of which $8 million has been funded.

 

 The AIDF Africa Summit will return in February 2018 for its 4th year.

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Image credit: UNICEF