Tag Archives: Ebola

COMPANIES in Clare should “step up and provide corporate support” to West Africa, as it fights to contain the outbreak of Ebola, an Inagh man leading one NGO’s response to the disease in the region has said. Damien Queally of Plan Ireland has just returned to his base in Senegal from a visit to the charity’s projects in the three worst-affected countries. “We are looking for medical personnel, good solid project managers who are able to keep multiple activities moving at the same time, logisticians. It would be great if some companies would step up and provide corporate support with some of the supplies that are needed. Personal protective equipment for one person is about €50, a water hygiene kit is about €25,” he said. “After visiting the three countries, while I was a bit apprehensive going in, once I saw the hand-washing checks everywhere, the temperature checks everywhere…there is a lot more in place, my fear went. Having gone …

AS the deadly Ebola virus continues to spread in West Africa, Inagh’s Damien Queally is co-ordinating NGO Plan Ireland’s response to the disease. In his time with the organisation, he has worked in Uganda, Congo, Darfur, Haiti and Niger. For the past year and a half, Damien has lived in Dakar, capital of Senegal and his main work has been in the area of education and health. He expects to be there for another 18 months. Damien is now deputy head of programmes for Plan Ireland in West Africa. Plan, he explains, “focuses on children and youth, looking at what are the rights of children and young people” but as the Ebola virus claims its 1,145th victim, his work has shifted sharply in that direction. “We work with children, their communities, local agencies, government and parents, around seeing how can we help them help their children get access to education, to ensure they are getting vaccinated, to ensure they have …

On World Humanitarian Day (this Tuesday), UNICEF said that the increase in humanitarian crises must not be allowed to decrease our common sense of humanity. The international children’s organisation has called for greater protection for the aid workers who risk their lives responding to emergencies like those in Gaza, South Sudan, Iraq and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. UNICEF Ireland has also asked the public to think of the Irish heroes who dedicate their lives, often in dangerous circumstances, to work for world’s most vulnerable children. “Brave aid workers endure harsh conditions and risk harm to save lives, rebuild communities, and bear witness in conflicts, catastrophes, and crises. As emergencies from South Sudan to Gaza have increased in both frequency and complexity, so too has the dangerous nature of the work and the loss of life,” said Peter Power, executive director, UNICEF Ireland. In the last month alone: * Humanitarian workers have been killed by armed fighters in South …