NCC supports relief effort against Ebola

NCC has decided to donate SEK 500,000 to the Doctors Without Borders organization, which recently opened a new Ebola center in Bo, Sierra Leone. Ebola is currently spreading in the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

The epidemic has already taken far too many lives. The six Doctors Without Borders’ Ebola centers in the West African region have more than 4,500 patients. A total of 981 patients have recovered, thus boosting the motivation of local employees and the external relief workers.

“There are many who are making major contributions in the fight against Ebola and the needs are great. We at NCC regard it as vital to be able to make a contribution in this acute situation. Ebola is a tragedy for those affected and their families. Outbreaks of this type also threaten the way the economies and society in these countries develop,” says Peter Wågström, President and CEO of NCC.

The Ebola virus is a hemophilic fever with a high mortality rate. The virus infects people and animals via blood and bodily fluids. Today, there are no signs that the spread will diminish. With successful efforts, however, the spread can be quickly curtailed and those stricken can also be cured.

“This is something completely new to us. In the past, the outbreaks have been on a small scale but now they are spreading in a completely different way. We are continuously learning and becoming more effective and we therefore have no standard responses to anything,” says Katharina Ervanius, responsible for corporate contacts at Doctors Without Borders.

How far will the money go?

  • SEK 900 is enough for 80 liters of replacement fluid. With this, a patient can be treated for dehydration for about ten days.
  • SEK 440 is enough for a complete set of protective equipment in the treatment of Ebola patients.
  • SEK 275 is enough for a package containing protective equipment and chlorine solution, as well as information on how to protect yourself against Ebola, which can be distributed.

Each protective suit is used for one hour. Care-givers dressed in the suit pass through a passage to the patients in the tent. The temperature in the tent is about 45-50 degrees, which means that care-givers can only stay in the tent for up to one hour. As soon as the care-giver comes out again, he/she is sprayed with chlorine and gets assistance to remove the suit. Parts of the protective equipment are then incinerated.

“This is the cost for one hour. You have to understand that the contribution of only one hour is highly resource demanding – both financially and personally. At present, a large number of skilled field workers are travelling to the affected areas. Everyone in our organization is committed and many from our office are there or on their way. There are also many local employees who are doing a fantastic job,” says Katharina Ervanius.