Dressed in white T-shirts with the words “Operation Crush Ebola,” embedded, more than 40 members from a coalition of West African groups held a three mile walk in Southwest Philadelphia last Saturday, October 25th.
“People of Liberia are not getting enough information on how to prevent the virus,” said Henry Murphy, a filmmaker. “This march is to create awareness, we are stigmatized. Whenever you say you are Liberian people look at you different, we are trying to let people know that we are not the Ebola virus, we are Africans.”
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The walk was created by the Coalition for Ebola Response with a mission to share the facts about Ebola. Led by a marching band, demonstrators walked in the streets and passed out pamphlets on how to prevent the virus. “Ebola is really killing our people. I have three children in Liberia and its just too much. We are asking the American government for help,” said Mary Dahn, demonstrator.
As heavy media coverage continues to grow surrounding the Ebola virus, some have become frantic about its spread, even though only a handful of people in the U.S. have contracted the virus. Margaret Chan, director of the World Health Organization told Haaretz.com, that Ebola is not the most severe health crisis. “It is not, at least not yet, despite the dramatic visions inspired by graphic descriptions of this truly nasty hemorrhagic disease. In reality the fear of an apocalyptic pandemic spreads much faster than the virus itself,” said Chan.
Earlier this week, The U.S. began enhanced screenings at five airports for passengers coming from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, where more than four thousand have died collectively from the virus.
In order to help those suffering from Ebola, several organizations are accepting donations, including Ebola Response Fund, Ebola Response Coalition and the Liberian Ministries Association. Each donation will help bring needed supplies.
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