GALLERY: The Aurum Institute salutes
PARKTOWN – The Aurum Institute donates a gob-smacking amount to salute those fighting Ebola.
The Aurum Institute has made a R135 000 contribution toward fighting Ebola.
Medicins Sans Frontiers South Africa (MSF) and The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) were the recipients of R25 000 and R110 000 respectively, presented to them at the Aurum Institute on 10 March.
Aurum CEO, Professor Gavin Churchyard said, “We are here for the diseases that most affect us, namely Aids and TB, [but] we are very concerned about the Ebola epidemic.”
In the global effort to eradicate the HIV/aids and tuberculosis pandemics over the last 15 years, the Aurum Institute is an internationally recognised, specialist research and health systems organisation.
“We gave the money that would have been used for our awards ceremony. Now we give it as a salute to the people stopping the spread of Ebola,” said Prof Churchyard.
Borrie la Grange of MSF said, “What is great about this money and the great work that is being done on the ground is that 2 500 of the 5 000 cases of Ebola have survived.”
Dr Lucille Blumberg of the NICD said, “I would like to thank Aurum for their generosity, respect and care that they have shown us.”
Furthermore, Blumberg asked the burning question of how South Africa would handle an outbreak of Ebola.
“South Africa is prepared for any cases. It is important that any cases of Ebola are identified and reported. Also, it is imperative to ensure it is contained. We have dealt with numerous diseases for years and have implemented sufficient training and awareness of potential cases.”
She added, “We owe our success in slowing down the spread of Ebola to the coordination of all the teams and the skill sets they have. We have also been supplied with incredible resources.”
La Grange said, “Less than 21 per cent of new [Ebola] cases in Liberia are known to link to an existing case. This needs to be improved because by linking cases to a primary host we are able to control the contamination.”
The reservoir host for Ebola is thought to be known as the fruit bat, which means the disease started and has been carried in it. Churchyard, Blumberg, La Grange and deputy CEO of the Aurum Institute Dr Paul Davis agreed that it is critical to further research on how to accurately narrow down the reservoir host.
