The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Scots raise £1.6m for Ebola appeal
More than £1.6million has been raised in Scotland to help aid teams fight Ebola in west Africa.
The money has allowed the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to reach 8million people in Sierra Leone, Liberia and surrounding countries with medicines, food and information campaigns on the disease.
Almost 5,000 people have died and about 13,000 have been infected with Ebola since the start of the year, with the truenumbers feared to be up to three times higher, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Infection rates in Sierra LeoneandLiberia continue to grow in the deadliest outbreak since the disease was discovered in 1976.
The money raised in Scotland is part of £20million raised so far across the UKin aDECappeal and includes £5million in government-matched funding.
David Miller, chairman of the DEC Ebola Crisis appeal in Scotland, said: “The response of people in Scotland, and indeed throughout the UK, has been absolutely fantastic.”
Dr Roger Alcock, who works at ForthValley Royal Hospital in Larbert, is travelling to Port Loko in Sierra Leone to help with the relief effort.
He was previously chief medic with Raleigh International in Namibia.
Dr Alcock said: “This is a medical humanitarian crisis and urgent medical help is required.
“It is important we controlandcontain the virus to prevent its spread outwith west Africa.”