World

Ebola appeal only at quarter of target

20:03 pm on 11 October 2014

The United Nations says its appeal for over $1 billion to respond to the Ebola crisis has so far only reached a quarter of its target.

A man thought to be suffering from the Ebola virus waits to receive treatment from medical staff at Island hospital in the Liberian capital Monrovia. Photo: AFP

New Zealand has just given the World Health Organisation (WHO) $500,000 to help combat Ebola, which has so far killed over 4000 people.

The president of the World Bank is calling for the creation of an emergency fund that could quickly respond to health outbreaks by delivering emergency money to countries in crisis.

Jim Yong Kim echoed the comments made by the three African nations hardest hit by Ebola calling the global response as late, inadequate and slow.

According to Dr Kim while the focus must remain on stopping the spread of Ebola, planning must also begin for the next possible pandemic which could spread much more quickly, kill even more people and potentially devastate the global economy.

The latest World Health Organization figures show the number of deaths attributed to the haemorrhagic fever has risen to 4033.

The vast majority of the fatalities - 4024 - were in the West African nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Military troops in Liberia quarantined

The military in Nigeria says more than 1300 of its troops serving with the United Nations mission in Liberia have been quarantined.

The BBC reports a man who entered their camp later died from Ebola.

Liberian MPs are considering a request by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to restrict movements of people in order to help fight the spread of the disease.

Liberia's senate elections due next week have been postponed to help reduce the risk of voters spreading the virus.

Meanwhile, Raj Panjabi, who's with a western non-government organisation, the Last Mile Charity, said the situation where he is working in Liberia was desperate.

He said he visited a hospital that had been abandoned by many health workers because they were afraid they did not have the right protective equipment and training to fight the disease. Mr Panjabi said out of 100 beds in the hospital only five are now occupied.

The latest World Health Organization figures show the number of deaths attributed to the haemorrhagic fever has risen to 4033.

The vast majority of the fatalities - 4024 - were in the West African nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.