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18.09.2014 | Press Release

Ebola Areas Threatened with Hunger Crisis

Welthungerhilfe: New study shows serious implications of Ebola.

Woman in Sierra Leone
To stop the epidemic, trade and traffic routes must not be used any more - with fatal consequences for the supply of the people. © Daniel Pilar
Simone Pott Team Communications

Ebola-affected Sierra Leone is now also facing the threat of famine. A new study from Welthungerhilfe has conlcuded that, by the beginning of 2015, the effects of the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone could have an even more dramatic impact than the illness itself. “From March, we are anticipating serious hunger”, warns Jochen Moninger, Sierra Leone country coordinator for the last four years.

“The economy has already collapsed: foreign firms have left the country and where local markets exist they are constricted. In order to stop the further spread of the epidemic, trade and traffic routes are not permitted to be used”, describes Moninger of the situation on the ground. Before the outbreak of the epidemic, Sierra Leone was recording a positive economic growth.

Download the study on impacts of ebola on Sierra Leone.

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Through the external shock of the Ebola epidemic, the country’s economic growth has been set back significantly. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the impact of the Ebola outbreak could have effects similar to the tsunami in South-East Asia in 2004, when more than 200,000 people died.

Jochen Moninger is available for interviews.

Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest private aid organisations in Germany; politically independent and non-denominational. It is fighting for ‘Zero Hunger by 2030’. Since its establishment, more than 8,500 overseas projects in 70 countries have been supported with 3.27 billion euros. Welthungerhilfe works on the basic principle of empowering people to help themselves: from rapid disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with national and international partner organisations.

On request, we provide further material. You can contact us here.

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