Israel to the rescue, again – this time, as the leading contributor to the UN for the global war on Ebola. They should remember this the next time they pass an anti-Israel resolution.
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Israel is the biggest contributor per capita to the global war on Ebola, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) declared in a statement on Friday.
“The U.S. Fund for UNICEF applauds Israel’s recent pledge of $8.75 million to halt the spread of Ebola in West Africa. This donation to the UN’s Ebola Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund represents the largest per-capita investment by any nation in efforts to combat the virus,” the statement read.
A portion of the funds was earmarked by Israel specifically for UNICEF, which will use the funds to tackle the drivers of Ebola transmission and provide urgent services for children affected by the disease.
“We thank Israel for their generous contribution to help stop Ebola and for recognizing that children are especially vulnerable during emergencies,” said Caryl Stern, president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “Although progress has been made in controlling Ebola, much remains to be done to fully stamp out the disease and provide care to children whose lives have been upended by it.”
‘Israel’s Capabilities Belong to Humanity’
Israel’s monetary pledge comes after it had already sent fully equipped medical clinics to West Africa and medical specialists to operate the clinics and train local health workers. The total cost of the project is estimated at NIS 1.2 million (approximately $315,000).
“The donation from Israel could not have come at a more critical time, as global attention on the crisis is waning,” added Stern. “This is an investment not only in current efforts to combat the virus, but also in the long-term health and well-being of children and families across West Africa.”
When Israel shipped out the equipment in November, Gil Haskel, head of MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, stated that the project “expresses Israel’s dedication to the international combat against the Ebola virus. Just as Israel had undertaken missions to help disaster areas in the past, and in light of Israel’s vast experience in field medicine, Israel has offered its support to the countries in need this time as well.”
“The fight against the spread of the Ebola virus is part of the Foreign Ministry’s vision to help people wherever they may be and to strengthen Israel’s ties with various countries,” Haskel added. “Israel has unique medical knowledge, and we are prepared to give it to the nations of the world. Israel’s capabilities belong to humanity, and Israel is an active and pioneering member of the international community.”
Israel’s efforts in combating the Ebola outbreak in 2014 were already acknowledged last month by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. “Israel’s contribution will play a crucial role in increasing the quality of the care and accessibility to the victims,” Ban stated in a letter.
Largest Ebola Outbreak in History
The 2014 Ebola epidemic infected nearly 19,000 people and claimed over 6,900 lives across West Africa. As many as 10,000 children could be orphaned across the hardest-hit countries – Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea – due to the virus, the UNICEF report stated, adding that “often, they are stigmatized or shunned by their communities.” An estimated five-million children are unable to go to school as a result of the emergency.
By: United with Israel Staff