Cameron honours 3,000 Ebola workers
PRIME Minister David Cameron has hosted a reception for some of the 3,000 people who will receive a medal for their work in tackling Ebola in West Africa, including Scots nurse Pauline Cafferkey.
A number of the military and civilian personnel, who travelled to work in high-risk areas to stop the spread of the disease, visited Downing Street to be awarded medals by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, International Development Secretary Justine Greening, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.
Medals will go to the
thousands of people who helped during the crisis on behalf of the UK in West Africa – such as those from the armed forces, laboratory specialists, and NHS doctors and nurses such as Ms Cafferkey, who contracted disease in Sierra Leone.
Mr Cameron, said: “This medal is about paying tribute to the hard work of thousands of British heroes up and down the country who travelled to West Africa and put themselves at considerable personal risk. From setting up Emergency Treatment Centres and rapid diagnostics labs, through to providing vital safety equipment training, ensuring burials happened safely, and safeguarding orphans, we owe them all a debt of gratitude.
“The Ebola outbreak was one of the most devastating epidemics of our generation, but as a result of their efforts many lives were saved.”
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