Obasanjo, Machel, Akon, 48 others call for action against Ebola

As the Ebola crisis continues to fester across West Africa, former heads of state as well as leaders from civil society and business have launched a petition call for more solidarity and a more coordinated approach to deal with the Ebola outbreak in the region.

High-profile leaders such as former Presidents Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria as well as Graça Machel, civil society leader and wife of the late President Mandela, signed the petition.

Others include Zainab Bangura, special representative, UN Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict; Ashish Thakkar, founder, MARA Group; Akon, singer; and Akere Muna, presiding officer, AU Economic, Social and Cultural Council.

Ebola is having great economic and social impact, more so in a young democracy such as Liberia which has come out of a long and debilitating civil war, the petition noted on Tuesday.

This call for action, which is attracting an increasing number of signatories, urges all citizens to play their role and demands a coordinated and rational response from African governments and international institutions.

In an open letter, they commended local and international health workers who are risking their lives daily, intervening on the ground to eradicate the scourge of Ebola, often without access to gloves and other protective supplies.

The group also applauded the decision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) health ministers to call for the lifting of travel bans to Ebola affected countries, which are hampering the fight against Ebola and restricting the arrival of essential expertise and equipment, as well as fuel to provide electricity, medications to treat other deadly diseases such as malaria and food to prevent famine.

“We call on our respective heads of state and government to avoid full embargo against Ebola-affected states. While we understand the legitimate concerns for the protection of their population, we remind African leaders of their obligation to pan-African solidarity and the global community of their humanitarian obligations in emergencies,” they said.

The group stressed the need to ensure that the flow of essential assistance can reach those in need, while maintaining economic activity necessary for sustaining life in cities and villages.

It also called on African opinion leaders to initiate or to actively take part in public information campaigns on prevention and transmission of the Ebola via road-shows, film screenings, theatrical pieces, discussion groups, and the distribution of messages via cellphone networks.

“We call on the broad private sector, the pharmaceutical industry, and the research community, in particular, to fund, facilitate and make immediately available access to all known methods of prevention and treatment of this menacing threat to our global well-being.”

In a related development, Oando Foundation has announced the launch of its Ebola Education Support Fund for Nigerian children who have lost one or both of their parents to the Ebola virus disease (EVD) and require financial support to continue their education.