Caritas Italy supports communities devastated by Ebola in West Africa

Caritas Italy working closely with Caritas Guinea and Sierra Leone, in collaboration with international organisations and local Ministries of Health, has committed itself to assisting communities devastated by the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa. 

Caritas Italy says it is already working in the region through its local Caritas counterparts. The main thrust of activities at the moment is in advising local people on sanitation and ways of preventing the Ebola Virus
Disease. This information is being given both in households and in public places.

With the funding provided, Caritas organisations in the countries concerned are distributing soap and chlorine. More than 100 Guinean animators are engaged in field awareness programmes while over 100,000 persons have so far received assistance from Caritas in Guinea. In Sierra Leone the number of recipients stands at 60,000. The major activities of West African Caritas programmes include "door to door" awareness creation and the dissemination of important information (about the disease) in public places.

Sierra Leone is currently hit hardest by the disease and the Government there has as a result declared a state of emergency.

With support from Caritas, people are being given basic rules for prevention and action to be taken in case of suspicious symptoms in the family and in the community. Crucial to the success of this programme in West Africa is the involvement of local leaders with intimate knowledge of the culture, customs and traditions in the villages and communities. Others also involved include community leaders such as civic and religious leaders who because of their positions are opinion leaders in the communities. As opinion leaders their endorsement and support of messages is essential.  Local authorities are being involved in endorsing and supporting messages on sanitation (wash and disinfect hands regularly; cook food thoroughly; do not eat wild game),  pay attention to suspicious symptoms and immediately seek help at a medical centre and report Ebola suspected cases to the authorities.

Caritas Italy has provided an initial contribution of 20,000 Euros for emergency aid and will continue to follow closely the evolution of the situation in the whole region. Caritas Italy has, in he meantime, called on individuals and organisations to support and contribute funds to this effort.