AHF tells African Union to develop Ebola response plan

The African Union (AU) has been asked to urgently develop strategic action plan to respond to the Ebola epidemic.

In a letter dated September 11, 2014 and directed to the AU Executive Council, the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) – a global health organisation with a presence in eleven African countries, which include Ebola-stricken Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, called for urgent action to stop the further spread of the deadly disease.

AHF also operates in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia.

AHF’s Africa Bureau Chief Penninah Lutung Amor said averting the outbreak would need to be an African priority requiring both political and technical support.

The letter states that closing borders and restricting travel in and out of the affected region is not action enough, adding that it actually fuels stigma and discrimination.

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“We need to stand up and contribute necessary resources in a proportion that is commensurate with the measure of the epidemic,” said AHF.

Last month, the AU pledged $1 million in the fight against Ebola, money that was to be contributed by African states.

However, The AU Ebola fund has only received contributions from Botswana, DRC, Gambia, Nigeria, Malawi, Uganda and South Africa.

Kenya has also pledged monetary support to the concerted efforts joining several other countries that have committed resources.

“The money so far committed by the AU is simply not enough. We need additional resources in kind and in cash,” said Dr Amor adding that a few countries have committed human resources which is important in the containing  the epidemic.

“Our call for action is that the African response plan should include human resources, medical equipment, essential medicines, and other logistical support.”

“The AU can and should do more to avert the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. We are currently in the eighth month of this outbreak and we hope in the spirit of African Union, the AU is finally prioritising this matter so that as a continent we can support countries ravaged by this epidemic and show the rest of the world the power of rallying together to bring this epidemic under control,’’ she said.

With programs in Nigeria and Sierra Leone providing HIV and Aids treatment and prevention, AHF is currently working with the frontline health workers in those countries contributing towards the fight against Ebola.

Dr Amor said the call to action proposes that the African response plan include personnel support, medical equipment, essential medicines, logistical support, including an air-bridge for critical supplies and personnel into and out of the affected region among other interventions.

She suggested that an Ebola Fund be created where countries and agencies would contribute to a coordinated African response and would help build health systems that are devastated by this epidemic.

She further appealed to African countries to provide health workers to reinforce local staff, who have been overwhelmed by the epidemic.

“At this critical point it is important to unite African countries to strengthen their preventive measures without creating unnecessary stigma to fellow Africans from the worst hit countries,’’ said Dr Amor.

Her sentiments were echoed by the chairperson of the AU Commission Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma who has called upon African countries to show solidarity.

“We want to show our solidarity and to develop a collective, comprehensive and coordinated strategy so that our sisters and brothers and the leadership of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and other affected countries know that they are part of a broader caring African global family,’’ she said.

AHF has already lost a member of staff Dr Sheik Humar Khan who served as the medical officer for country program in Sierra Leone.