Bangkok--1 Aug--International SOS Services
Number of June requests for advice up 400% on May
Education toolkit made available to UN and other organisations
Risk to business travellers is low, but vigilance required
International SOS has seen another rise in the number of requests for advice on Ebola in recent weeks.
Since 1 March, 2014 the medical and travel security group has received hundreds of requests for advice on the outbreak, which has spread to different countries in West Africa.
The number of requests for help in June was 400% up on the total figure for the month of May.
The requests come from client organisations and/or their members travelling overseas or living and working as expatriates. In recent months doctors at International SOS have supported over 100 client organisations with physicians working on client sites in a number of locations close to where cases have been confirmed.
Other data from the 27 International SOS assistance centres shows:
Approx 56% of the requests were generated in Guinea, 17% in Liberia and 16% Sierra Leone
Outside Africa, the UK has generated the highest number of calls (approximately 6%)
In April there were 83% more requests for advice than in March
Dr Doug Quarry, Medical Director at International SOS said:
“This is the largest Ebola outbreak the world has ever seen. It continues to spread across several countries in West Africa and is now causing real concern across the world. The World Health Organisation has described the situation as “precarious”. Organisations responding to the outbreak are stretched to the limit, appealing for more resources and assistance.
The situation is volatile, border points have been closed and screening of inbound and outbound travellers is occurring. There is also talk of quarantine of some communities with restrictions on people entering or leaving as public health authorities work to contain further spread of the virus.
While everyone in these areas needs to take precautions against infection, the considerations for business travellers, organisations with operations in affected areas or those deploying personnel to assist in the response are different. International SOS is monitoring this very fast moving epidemic, providing advice and information to its members, as well as educational materials for distribution.”
After Ebola was first recognised in Guinea in late March, International SOS quickly implemented a number of measures, including:
Disease awareness training for staff at client organisations
Adapting the layout of our clinics to handle Ebola cases
Developing educational tools to help reduce the spread of Ebola among local communities
International SOS has developed a toolkit to educate medical staff and local populations on how to recognise Ebola and prevent its transmission to other individuals.
The toolkit has been made available to the United Nations and other organisations in the affected and neighbouring countries.
The group has also made available an internationally-recognised Ebola specialist to act as an advisor to both local and major city hospitals in Liberia and consult with the Liberian Ministry of Health & Social Welfare. Support has also been offered to the Red Cross, World Health Organisation and Médecins Sans Frontières.
A dedicated website with up-to-date information about the outbreak is available for members around the world and a special webinar is being held to address the concerns of employees working or travelling in West Africa.
Dr Quarry continued:
“It is crucial when responding to a threat like Ebola that International SOS works side by side with government health authorities and partners with them in their response. The outbreak is far from over but we are much better prepared and remain determined to remain vigilant about the well-being of everyone in the affected regions.”