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In the last two weeks not the Big Governments but thousands of courageous men and women have volunteered to fly to West Africa and help contain the deadly Ebola virus. It’s an act of bravery and evidence to the interdependence many people feel as part of the global community.

But not all of them who wanted to volunteer could actually travel or have the right skills to help. So, what else they could do to support these health workers to save lives and stop the spread? The solutions are very simple but sad. Volunteers together with the health workers and others that are available in West Africa to help contain the spread of Ebola needs simple things e.g. sanitation materials like gloves, soap, chlorine; personal protective equipment kits; ambulances; and beds, equipment and supplies for the Ebola Treatment Centres etc.

It’s practically scandalous the international community still hasn’t managed to get enough of these basics in. But people are not immoral and they can help wherever they are. Protective kits cost $280, and as elements of the kits are thrown away after each use, health staff will go through over 15,000 kits in just a month, and $50,000 could buy, deliver and equip an ambulance.

So basically, $1,000,000 could do a lot right now by which people helping the Ebola-affected patients could buy 10 ambulances and 2,000 hazard suits. And there are some charities who are working there can likely get the gear out fast enough for local and international doctors and nurses. With this ‘meagre’ amount (in contrast to millions of dollars of ‘pledges’ by some rich businessmen), volunteers will have a chance to get ahead of the Ebola virus before the window to stem the outbreak closes.

This is exactly the picture. Entire health systems are collapsing under the strain. Local health workers have died trying to treat patients without the right gear. And the international response has been callously inadequate. As we all know, a few of the richest nations in the world are squabbling much amongst them with ‘non issues’ than committing medics and money than the number of people who have offered to volunteer in West Africa. Right now the UN expects 10,000 new cases of Ebola a week, and there are only 4,300 beds pledged to treat them!
Governments are slowly starting to move, thanks to the intense public attention on the crisis, but most are not delivering fast enough. The frightening truth is the UN says the world have only weeks to contain this or millions may be under threat. That’s why cooperation amongst people is so important now. If global people are all ready to donate some money, there are charities that could raise the fund within hours of reaching the goal.

There are several humanitarian organisations in the field. Together, we can find and support any of those in the thick of the battle against Ebola.      

People’s response to this deadly disease now not only could save lives, it defines who they are. Are they a global community that believes in and acts on the threads that tie them together as one people? The volunteer heroes and heroines have shown that each of our lives is worth risking everything for. Let’s support their beautiful humanity wherever we are by headfirst in, before this dangerous window closes.