#News: United Nations To Deploy Ebola Mission

[HuffingtonPost]

By Michelle Nichols                

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The United Nations will  create a special mission to combat Ebola, deploying staff in the  worst-affected states - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone - to  push a "rapid and massive mobilization" of people, material and  financial resources.                

In a letter circulated to the U.N. Security Council on  Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he will  appoint a special envoy to head the U.N. Mission for Ebola  Emergency Response (UNMEER), who will be based in the region.                

"The strategic priorities of the mission will be to stop the  spread of the disease, treat the infected, ensure essential  services, preserve stability and prevent the spread to countries  currently unaffected," Ban wrote in the six-page letter,  obtained by Reuters.                

The 15-member Security Council is due to adopt a resolution  later on Thursday that declares the outbreak of Ebola, which is  spread by contact with the body fluids of infected people, a  "threat to international peace and security."                

The United Nations action comes as the United States  unveiled plans to send 3,000 troops and build 17 treatment  centers, France announced plans to install a military hospital,  and Cuba, China, Britain and others have pledged medical  workers, health centers and other forms of support.                

At least 2,630 people have died in the worst outbreak of  Ebola virus since the disease was identified in 1976, which has  so far infected at least 5,357 people in West Africa, the World  Health Organization said on Thursday.                

Ban said the U.N. mission would focus on 12 critical  actions: identifying and tracing people infected with Ebola,  caring for the infected and infection control, safe and  dignified burials, medial care for responders, food security and  nutrition and access to basic health services.                

It would also center its efforts on cash incentives for  health workers, economic and protection and recovery, supplies  of material and equipment, transportation and fuel, social  mobilization and messaging.                

"It is my intention that the mission will exist only as long  as necessary to stem the crisis," Ban wrote. "When the Ebola  virus disease no longer poses a grave threat to the people of  the infected countries, the mission will have achieved its  objective and will be disbanded."                

He said he would send a detailed report to the 193-member  U.N. General Assembly for approval that will outline the  resources and staff needed for the mission. Ban also intends to  establish a trust fund for voluntary contributions.                

"No one country, no one organization has the resources to  stem the tide of the Ebola crisis. Each government is ultimately  responsible for its own people. The governments and the people  of West Africa have asked for our help," Ban wrote.                

Cases of Ebola have also occurred in Nigeria and Senegal,  and an unrelated outbreak of the disease has happened in the  Democratic Republic of the Congo.         (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
Source: huffingtonPost