Brussels, 18/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - The devastating Ebola epidemic in West Africa has been underestimated by the international community and now represents a global security challenge that requires an urgent co-ordinated international response, according to a resolution from MEPs adopted in Strasbourg on Thursday 18 September. Regretting the delay in doing this and expressing its alarm at the impact of this deadly epidemic in poor countries that were also now threatened by socio-economic collapse, Parliament believes that money alone will not be enough to mitigate the effects of this haemorrhagic fever.
Isolating and treating sufferers requires further financial resources urgently to be made available, as well as operational capacity, including qualified human resources and logistical material, stress MEPs. Using military resources and civil protection is also a possibility that should be considered by the UN Security Council under the aegis of the Secretary General in coordination with the OCHA. The resolution adopted by show of hands also indicates that access to treatment should be speeded up.
Parliament acknowledges and encourages the increased aid committed by the European Commission in response to this crisis (€147 million since March, including €11.9 million for the most urgent humanitarian needs) and calls on the Commission to introduce controls for guaranteeing that the totality of these funds for tackling the epidemic are ultimately used to this end.
MEPs welcome the commitment made by the member states and the Commission at the high-level conference in Brussels on 15 September (see EUROPE 11155). Parliament urges the Council of Ministers to organise a ministerial meeting to draw up an emergency plan for a medical response and to provide humanitarian aid from member states.
Parliament calls on the Commission to assess the needs of different countries and prepare plans adapted to each of them, in order to coordinate the deployment of health care personnel, mobile laboratories, laboratory equipment, protective clothing and treatment centres equipped with isolation services. The member states are requested to coordinate flights and build air bridges for transporting personnel and medical equipment in the countries affected and in the region, and help evacuate medical personnel, if necessary.
The member states and the Commission must coordinate and enhance medical research, as well as make progress in clinical trials for existing possible treatment, say the MEPs. (AN)