CDC Foundation Receives Million Dollar Grant to Advance CDC’s Response to West African Ebola Outbreak
Funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Provides Vital Assistance and Supplies for Use in Impacted Countries
As Ebola continues to spread in West Africa, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is accelerating its response to this unprecedented outbreak. To aid in this effort, the CDC Foundation today announced a $1 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) for the CDC Foundation’s Global Disaster Response Fund, which is contributing essential materials and assistance to advance CDC’s response to the Ebola outbreak.
“The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unprecedented and unfortunately it’s likely to get worse before it gets better,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “However, with support from the CDC Foundation’s Global Disaster Response Fund, staff on the ground will be in a better position to try to stop and prevent further spread of this devastating disease.”
The latest facts from CDC cite more than 2,600 cases of Ebola and 1,400 deaths in the four affected countries. CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate technical assistance and control activities with partners. As part of its response, CDC also has deployed more than 70 public health experts to Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone and plans to send additional public health experts to the affected countries to expand current response activities.
“The spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa represents a global public health crisis,” said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We are privileged to assist CDC in its heroic efforts to contain this outbreak, and we are confident of their ability to control this scourge—provided they have the support required to do the job. Additional resources are urgently needed, and we encourage other funders to respond as well.”
Some immediate needs for CDC staff working with local in-country personnel include personal protective equipment, thermal scanners, infection control training and laptop computers for communication and disease tracking. In addition, isolation beds and Ebola treatment centers are in short supply. Another critical need is funding for emergency operations centers in the four countries impacted by the outbreak. There will be unanticipated needs as well in the response to this epidemic. Funds donated to the CDC Foundation can be deployed and put to work where needed with CDC and its partners.
Charles Stokes, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation said, “We thank the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for its generous contribution to our Global Disaster Response Fund. We hope other donors follow their lead and provide much needed support for the West African Ebola outbreak response.”
Individual or corporate contributions to the CDC Foundation’s Global Disaster Response Fund can be made on the CDC Foundation’s website (www.cdcfoundation.org/ebola-outbreak) or by phone, fax or mail. To discuss giving opportunities or an in-kind donation, contact the CDC Foundation at 1-888-880-4CDC.
Claire Greenwell, 404.443.1126, cgreenwell@cdcfoundation.org
Established by Congress, the CDC Foundation helps the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do more, faster, by forging public-private partnerships to support CDC’s work 24/7 to save lives and protect people from health and safety threats. The CDC Foundation currently manages more than 200 CDC-led programs in the United States and in 58 countries around the world. Since 1995 the CDC Foundation has launched more than 700 programs and raised $400 million to advance the life-saving work of CDC. For more information, please visit www.cdcfoundation.org.
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