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Liberia + 3 more

Standing in solidarity with West Africa in the fight against Ebola

By Moustapha Diallo, IFRC

The Government of Botswana has donated 15 vehicles to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support its Ebola operations in West Africa. This generous donation worth over 600,000 US dollars will be divided between the three worst affected countries, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, each receiving five Toyota Landcruisers.

Handing over the vehicles on 2 December, Mabel Rammekwa, secretary general of the Botswana Red Cross Society said, “The vehicles will be used to help Red Cross teams operating in the countries affected by Ebola to have access to remote areas and overcome the difficulties in reaching villages.”

Rammekwa went on to express the solidarity of Botswana and its people with sister African countries affected by Ebola.

IFRC secretary general, Mr Elhady As Sy, described the donation as an invaluable support in the fight against Ebola, assuring the Botswana government that the vehicles will be put to good use. He also remarked that this gesture perfectly illustrates “an active and solidarity south-south collaboration.”

This donation will complement the more than 130 vehicles already on the ground, the largest ever fleet in IFRC history in an emergency operation.

The handover of the vehicles was organized after a press conference where the IFRC secretary general called for ending Ebola-related stigma and discrimination that hinder efforts to comprehensively respond to the ongoing outbreak.

In support of National Red Cross Societies in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and in coordination with International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, IFRC has launched 16 Ebola operations in response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, targeting 39 million people, and totaling more than 100 million Swiss francs. The on-going operations have mobilized more than 10,000 volunteers and 200 international delegates to scale up efforts in social mobilization, safe and dignified burials, contact tracing, psychosocial support, and clinical case management. For more details on the Red Cross regional Ebola response, visit www.ifrc.org/ebola-crisis.