UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has vowed to mobilise the United Nations in every possible way to respond to the outbreak of Ebola in west Africa and issued an “international rescue call” for a massive surge in assistance, warning that “the world can no longer afford to short-change global public health”.

“The next few weeks will be crucial. The people of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in particular are looking to us for support. They are counting on us for a massive surge in assistance: more doctors, nurses and beds; more equipment, trucks and other vehicles,” the Secretary General said at UN headquarters on Friday.

Know more: Ebola death toll jumps to more than 1,900: WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that experts taking part in a two-day discussion on potential Ebola therapies and vaccines identified several therapeutic and vaccine interventions that should be the focus of clinical evaluation at this time, including two “promising” Ebola vaccines.

WHO Assistant Director-General Marie-Paule Kieny told a press conference in Geneva on the outcome of the experts meeting that it was not yet known if the therapies are 100 per cent safe or whether they will be effective.

He added that their safety will be known in November and will be available for use in countries shortly after.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2014