The Israeli nongovernmental relief organization IsraAID has sent medical professionals to Sierra Leone to help patients who have tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus.
The first Israeli professionals were to arrive in the African nation this week, IsraAID said in a statement. Sierra Leone ended diplomatic relations with Israel after the Yom Kippur War.
During the first phase, the IsraAid team will provide psychosocial support training to local social workers and community organizations struggling to cope with the stress and anxiety of families affected by the Ebola outbreak.
IsraAID also will be working with local government and health providers to increase their service delivery skills and raise awareness of the importance of hygiene and health to prevent the further spread of Ebola.
In the weeks leading up to the mission, supported by the American Jewish Committee and private family foundations, IsraAID was in discussions with government officials in Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as with the United Nations and the international medical relief teams, to better understand what is needed, the organization said.
At least 4,000 cases of Ebola have been reported in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta estimates that number could rise to 8,000 by the end of September. Some 2,600 people have died of the virus in recent weeks.
IsraAID is also delivering urgent humanitarian aid to Christian and Yazidi refugees who have fled to Iraq’s Kurdish region.
The aid includes hygiene kits, mattresses, blankets, kitchen utensils and clothing, according to the American Jewish Committee, which is helping the NGO cover expenses incurred with the assistance. — jta