Salvation Army Continues to Battle Ebola Health Crisis in Liberia

The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa. The World Health Organization says for the last several weeks there has been, on average, 1,000 new cases per week.  The death rate for the outbreak is now estimated at 70 percent.

The Salvation Army’s response includes:

• Sanitizer, gloves, mouth guards and chlorine to protect against the virus have been distributed to residents in communities where Ebola is prevalent.
• Food packages, including rice, beans and cooking oil, have been offered to families in particular need.
• Disinfectant and protective clothing has been supplied to medical practitioners tackling the epidemic.
• Upon discovering high numbers of depreciating health by other illnesses, The Salvation Army’s William Booth Clinic is providing basic essential drugs to help save other lives that could be lost.
• The Salvation Army has access to a number of family homes that have been quarantined and clean drinking water, food packages and protective clothing continues to be provided.
• The Salvation Army is partnering with other helping agencies to provide equipment and supplies, as well as other basic needs to stop the spread of this dreaded disease.

“Ebola has impacted The Salvation Army directly,” says the organization’s world leader, General André Cox. “One officer/pastor has lost four members of her family. Mobility has been made more difficult as well for our people to meet together. Our resources are strained as we try to do our part to meet headlong this humanitarian crisis.”

The Salvation Army has served in Liberia for 25 years. It has 12 schools (serving 3,000 children), six child-care centres, two clinics, and 43 churches/outreach centres.