5,000 healthcare workers needed
Kim says at least 5,000 medics and support staff are needed to fight the virus, but says fear is keeping people at home:
Right now, I’m very much worried about where we will find those healthcare workers. With the fear factor going out of control in so many places, I hope healthcare professionals will understand that when they took their oath to become a health care worker it was precisely for moments like this
World Bank: Major economic impact
World Bank president Kim says Ebola will have a major impact on West Africa economies:
For 2014 we estimate that the GDP losses to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea from this crisis will be a combined $360 million, which is a huge portion of the overall GDPs of these small countries. We expect that the impact on government budgets to be $292 million.
Continued spread of the virus could multiply the effect:
Our findings indicate that if the virus continues to spread the economic cost to these countries could grow eight-fold by 2015. This would deal a potentially catastrophic blow
A fast and effective response could limit the economic damage in 2015 to $97 million but if rapid action isn’t taken it could be $800 million. The bank has released $117 million grant funding for an immediate humanitarian response to save lives and prevent new infections.
Pledges $200 million
The World Bank pledges $200m in emergency aid to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra-Leone, in a bid to counter further spread of the deadly virus. Jim Yong Kim, the president of the World Bank, says that he is ” deeply saddened” by the progress of the epidemic thus far. The funds will be used to undertake numerous relief activities including providing medical supplies, paying staff and driving a campaign that will contain the epidemic.Yong Kim:
I have been monitoring (Ebola’s) deadly impact around the clock and I’m deeply saddened at how it has ravaged health workers, families and communities, disrupted normal life and has led to a breakdown of already weak health systems in the three countries.