Saturday, December 20, 2014

Ethiopia initiates text messaging campaign against Ebola

(Dec 11, 2014, (Anadolu Agency))--Ethiopia launched on Saturday a phone text messaging campaign to raise funds as part of a continental drive for fighting the deadly Ebola virus. The campaign seeks to encourage ordinary Africans to be part of the fight against the virus by sending text messages with their cell phones with the slogan "StopEbola 7979" written in them.

Funds raised as part of the campaign are expected to be used in training and deploying more volunteers under the African Union Support to Ebola in West Africa operation, which aims to enhance the capacity of existing national and international response mechanisms to the virus.

African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma lauded Ethiopia for launching the campaign. "Ethiopia always takes the lead to contribute in the affairs of Africa," Dlamini-Zuma said during the launch ceremony of the campaign in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

"Ethiopia has earlier sent voluntary health workers to Ebola affected countries to strengthen the fight against Ebola," she added. The campaign is expected to kick off on Monday. Text message prices will vary from one African country to another.  In Ethiopia, phone owners will be charged 5 Ethiopian Birr (approximately $0.25) for each text message they send within the campaign.

Dlamini-Zuma called on the media to highlight the stories of, not those who are killed by Ebola, but those who survive the disease. Read more from Anadolu Agency »

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