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Ebola Response

Deaths to health workers accounted for six percent of all deaths confirmed as due to EVD, even to the end of the outbreaks. Over 500 health workers, including members of PSI affiliated unions, were killed in the line of duty. PSI is actively lobbying national governments, the ILO and WHO and working with health and allied care workers in our unions to rebuild health systems that can resist future outbreaks in the context of universal access to essential healthcare, which is the core of the post-2015 agenda for health.

Nigeria Medical & Health Workers' Statement on Ebola outbreak

19 August 2014
UNICEF and partners conduct Ebola education sessions at schools (Photo: UNICEF)

The Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), which is the largest health workers’ union in Africa is gravely concerned about the current outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of West Africa generally, and Nigeria in particular. The outbreak which began in Guinea in December 2013 now involves Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, with about 2127 reported cases and 1145 deaths out of which Nigeria has 12 suspected and confirmed cases with 4 deaths.

Guidance to PSI unions on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa

11 August 2014

11 August 2014. Public Services International affiliated health workers’ unions in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone first warned their employers, their governments and the media of the threat of Ebola virus disease (EBV) early in 2014. Five months later, faced with the spread of the disease, including new cases in Nigeria - and the danger to health care workers in particular, the international community is mobilising. And these same health workers’ unions, as well as those in other countries, stand ready to support efforts to stop the spread.

In Liberia, health unions urge government to tackle Ebola virus

31 July 2014
Group of people in Liberia including two widows mentioned in the article

Following the deaths of two health workers in Liberia, trade unions have called on the government to hold discussions with health workers and reach a joint policy to tackle Ebola and avoid further deaths from the disease.

Healthcare workers killed by Ebola’s worst outbreak ever

08 July 2014

The global trade union federation Public Services International condemns the preventable deaths of dozens of healthcare workers, killed on the job by Ebola because they did not have the necessary tools and equipment.

Statement: Healthcare workers killed by Ebola’s worst outbreak ever

08 July 2014

The global trade union federation Public Services International condemns the preventable deaths of dozens of healthcare workers, killed on the job by Ebola because they did not have the necessary tools and equipment.

Video: Liberian Government denies compensation to health workers who die from Ebola while saving lives

03 June 2014

Watch an interview with Paul Tilame of the PSI-affiliated National Private Sector Health Workers Union of Liberia (NPSHWU) talking about the protests at the health ministers summit in Monrovia in April and the deaths of the health workers from Ebola.