(task) Ebola: The Time to Give is NOW › Emerson Collective

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http://www.emersoncollective.com/2014/10/ebola-the-time-to-give-is-now/

Ebola: The Time to Give is NOW

By Anne Marie Burgoyne, Managing Director of the Social Innovation Initiative, Emerson Collective

I have been humbled in recent weeks to attend several meetings that gathered together smart and thoughtful people to focus on the Ebola crisis. As many of you know, I am not a public health person, but rather a generalist who seeks out ways to make connections and get resources to where they most need to be.

A number of people have been asking me what they can do as they hear stories day and night about the spread of Ebola. And I will be transparent here — this is a blog about money and why you want to give money to this need at this time (and where you might do that).

I am sure that all of you have seen mention of Ebola in the news and so I won’t add to the number of facts swimming in your heads.

And because most of us are generalists searching for the most helpful and responsible ways to respond, I wanted to share a range of important insights I have gathered from the global health experts:

We tend to underreact to crises that are far away from us, but then overreact to crises that are close by. Ebola is mostly far away, but also coming closer, and deserves our calm attention and support to slow and stop the spread of the virus, including by providing proper treatment to people who are infected. I am not suggesting that we over-react here (and smart public health writers like Michael Specter remind us to keep in mind the big picture around risk as the world grapples with how to best respond to Ebola, but that we respond now to a crisis that is on-the-move and requires time and preparation to address.
This outbreak has been fuelled by poverty and limited healthcare infrastructure in the nations in which it has struck. In these countries, Ebola is killing people, as well as health systems, which means that now even basic public health services are greatly compromised or not happening at all – like receiving antenatal care or giving birth at a clinic, or taking your child for an immunization. Alarming reports indicate that more people are dying from treatable diseases like malaria or diarrhea because they are afraid to visit medical clinics or because of a severe and worsening shortage of medical personnel in the countries most affected by this crisis.
Technology can be a great help in solving some challenges that are related to this crisis – better tracking of contacts and cases would help to slow and manage the spread of the virus, as would finding a simple and rapid point of care diagnostic for identifying earlier and more easily people who have contracted Ebola, an effective vaccine, or a therapy that targets the virus.
At the same time, getting in front of the virus is not enough as it has already affected many people who require high quality treatment, compassionate care and monitoring. Treating those who are ill is the right thing to do and also pragmatic; leaving people who are infected without adequate care perpetuates fear and stigma, inhibits self-reporting, and increases the likeliness that Ebola will spread to more people.
We are not all clinicians who can volunteer where we are most needed, or supply chain specialists who can aid in critical operations, or technologists who can engage in high-level problem solving to get in front of this virus.
However, we are all in a position to act at this time by giving money to the brave people and organizations who are making a difference now on the ground where most of the cases are happening by mobilizing clinicians, providing direct care, taking preventative measures to stop the spread of this contagious virus, and providing education and awareness in communities.
Money today will really matter to help efforts to continue to slow the spread of this deadly virus, as well as to help people who are suffering. I have suggested a few organizations below that I know are doing good work. They are working in dangerous conditions using as much caution as possible, are integrating with community-based care institutions and community health workers already in place, and are making investments to leave behind healthcare systems and infrastructure that is permanent and will help to rebuild this region and its systems.

Medic Mobile – designing mobile and web tools to support community health workers, and in particular is now focused on Ebola treatment units
Medecins sans Frontieres – treating a rapidly increasing number of patients in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone
Direct Relief – bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide
Partners In Health, Last Mile Health, Wellbody Alliance – a consortium of organizations that have worked across West Africa for many years and are working together to establish rural Ebola treatment units and mobilize, train and equip health workers in Liberia and Sierra Leone
Or, if you are interested in finding specific and vetted funding needs to support, check out Act Now Against Ebola, which includes a set of suggested organizations to fund, as well as active funding needs for things like blood mobiles and ambulances.
Larry Brilliant, a leader at the Skoll Global Threats Fund, has said, “Outbreaks are inevitable. Pandemics are optional.” Our collective response, no matter the size, is a key part of the equation for saving individual lives, no matter where they reside.