Sierra Leone Asylum Seekers In Australia Organise Effort To Fight Ebola

Former Sierra Leone refugees in Australia find the international response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa too slow. According to reports, 121 people have died from the virus in Sierra Leone in one day alone. People in Australia, who have relatives in Sierra Leone, are determined to make a difference in the fight against Ebola.

As reported by SBS, Sulaiman Forna is one of the people who continue to contribute in the international effort against Ebola. While the vaccine for the virus is said to be under development, with some pharmaceutical companies preparing for human trials, Forna believes it may all be too late.

Forna, who came to Australia 12 years ago as an asylum seeker from Sierra Leone, said the threat of Ebola was more evident more than six months ago. He revealed calls for the West to pay more attention to the developing situation in Sierra Leone began months ago.

Forna is one of the founders of the Sierra Leone Ebola Action Group. He believes if the world would put more effort, there is a great possibility the fight against Ebola will be over quickly. The action group was able to raise money and arrange a shipment of supplies bound for Sierra Leone that was sent last weekend.

Australia has been criticised for failing to send military troops and health workers to Ebola-affected areas in West Africa. The country has donated $18 million to the international effort to fight the virus in addition to the $40 million it gives to the World Health Organisation every year.

Meanwhile, hospitals in Australia have been preparing for the worst in the event Ebola reaches the country. Reports said hospitals have been conducting drills and live training exercises to ensure staff and facilities are ready for possible cases of Ebola.

According to the Daily Mail, 100 British military medical personnel will set up field hospitals in Sierra Leone for Ebola patients. The British humanitarian mission is expected to be deployed in the coming weeks. The medics will also run a field hospital specifically for doctors, nurses and other health workers who have contracted Ebola while working with infected patients.