LSTM have called upon their Alumni to encourage them, or people within their professional networks, to sign up to a new Ebola Response Register that has been created within LSTM.
There is an urgent need to recruit suitably qualified individuals to assist in the current Ebola crisis in West Africa. The rapidly accelerating epidemic may claim in excess of 10,000 – 100,000 lives in the coming weeks and months, based on current trends. LSTM has an extensive network of alumni and staff who are well qualified to assist in the response, and have set up an Ebola Response Register (link below) so that alumni and their wider network can indicate their interest and availability to assist in the response. The registration period is destined to close on 31 October 2014, however this may be extended depending on need.
LSTM’s Senior Clinical Lecturer, Dr Tim O’Dempsey has recently returned from Sierra Leone, where he was treating those suffering from Ebola. He sent out this personal message to former students of LSTM: “Please tell your friends and colleagues about this register. Simply put, we are facing a rapidly accelerating epidemic which may claim many thousands more lives and we need to act.
“The Ebola Response Register is designed to assist NGO's and UN Agencies to identify persons who are suitably qualified and available to volunteer as part of the Ebola crisis response. In addition to qualified health practitioners, we are also keen to recruit individuals with relevant skills in logistics, administration, water, sanitation, hygiene, communications etc. Whilst the need is immediate and urgent, the epidemic is likely to continue for many months to come. Therefore, we are appealing to you to register even if you are not available immediately.”
An email has been sent out to alumni, reassuring them that the information provided will only be available to reputable NGOs and UN Agencies and will not be used for any other purpose. The information will not be publicly available.
Within a few hours of the invitation being sent, 50 people had already registered.
For those wishing to sign up to this register, please use the link below:
Those currently working for the NHS wanting to volunteer for the Ebola response will need to do so via the UKIEMR (www.uk-med.org) as this is the official UK government mechanism for NHS staff deploying to emergencies. The LSTM Response Register is designed to assist liaison between those wishing to volunteer and NGO’s/UN Agencies working on the Response.