Context
Since news of the first Ebola infection in the border region between Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the disease has affected large swathes of the population in these three countries and now threatens to spread to the immediately neighbouring nations of Mali and Côte d’Ivoire.
Objective
The Ebola resilience of the population in selected regions of Mali and Côte d’Ivoire is increased. The population is informed about Ebola and its risks, and instructed in how to deal with the virus.
Approach
The project is assisting the Malian and Ivorian Governments with preventing the further spread of the Ebola virus and the associated negative consequences.
Initiatives are being carried out in three areas of action designed to increase the resilience of the population under threat from Ebola by employing an integrated approach to preventing a pandemic. The three areas of action are: (1) organising awareness-raising campaigns as part of Ebola prevention measures, (2) training multipliers in communicating the risks of Ebola, and (3) improving food reserves in case of a crisis.
The populations in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire are being informed about the epidemic and how to deal with the disease. Information and awareness-raising materials are being provided to schools and hospitals, and pandemic prevention adverts are being broadcast on different radio stations in order to reach a larger target group. The project is delivering training courses on distributing existing food resources and properly storing food. Game merchants are being trained in small animal husbandry, as avoiding the consumption of wild game can considerably reduce transmission of the Ebola virus.