Dearest Religious Brothers and Sisters and members of the Lay Camillian Family,
Almost 15,000 people infected and over 5,000 dead: these are the figures that narrate only partially the tragedy that is severely affecting Sierra Leone, Liberia and to a lesser extent Guinea.
The Ebola virus kills, impoverishes, generates hunger, provokes panic, closes hospitals and schools, and eliminates the future in countries which are already hit by long and deep sores of poverty.
There is a history of profound social injustice which has roots that go far back but which still today do not help in stopping the epidemic which is affecting above all the poorest.

Since 12 October, in the form of the Camillian Task Force, we have been in Makeni (Sierra Leone). Father Aris Miranda and Anita Ennis of the Lay Camillian Family have opened up the road to a presence that will last for a long time.
Our action is concentrating, in the Camillian spirit, on three areas:

1. The reopening of the diocesan Holy Spirit Hospital (70 beds). Anita Ennis is setting in motion this reopening and preparing the setting for the beginning of a diagnostic centre for Ebola. The team of the Camillians will be based in the hospital at the service of the other areas indicated.

2. Help for the diocesan task force. We are working to accompany the local team, community by community, village by village, and zone by zone, to inform people about the virus, distribute food but also to help to give a meaning to what is happening.

3. Psycho-social support for individuals and communities. We want to support action for looking after people in quarantine (in particular children) and the victims of Ebola. The numbers involved are large and the work to do is enormous at an individual and community level.

Our religious brothers of India, of Italy and of the Philippines are preparing to leave over the next few weeks but we need help.
For this reason, we renew our appeal to support the ‘Ebola’ Project by donating money and being prepared to take part in missions in the countries that are afflicted by Ebola.

Order of the Regular Clerics of Ministers of the Sick

Banca Prossima SpA, Roma

IBAN: IT62G0335901600100000070486

Swift: BCITITMX

Causale: Missione Ebola CTF

Fr. Leocir Pessini, MO

Superior General

Fr. Aristelo Miranda, MI

Consultor (Ministry)

PRESS INFORMATION