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Emergencies and Disasters

PSI represents first responders and frontline workers. These are the people who put their lives at risk in order to protect and save your families. First responders include firefighters and emergency medical technicians, police and other uniformed services. They are also the frontline workers in hospitals and health clinics, in schools, in energy and water utilities; in public transport; in civil administration and in a range of other areas. All of us depend on these people being able to do their jobs, having the right tools and training.

PSI underscores WHO’s focus on the plight of health workers in emergencies

20 August 2014
Health workers in Sierra Leone, Ebola epicentre

#protecthealthworkers - Health workers are globally called to the frontline of natural disasters and man-made conflicts. They are among the first responders to the resulting humanitarian crises, alongside fire-fighters, civil defence, law enforcement and other emergency workers.

Nigeria Medical & Health Workers' Statement on Ebola outbreak

19 August 2014
UNICEF and partners conduct Ebola education sessions at schools (Photo: UNICEF)

The Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), which is the largest health workers’ union in Africa is gravely concerned about the current outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of West Africa generally, and Nigeria in particular. The outbreak which began in Guinea in December 2013 now involves Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, with about 2127 reported cases and 1145 deaths out of which Nigeria has 12 suspected and confirmed cases with 4 deaths.

In Liberia, health unions urge government to tackle Ebola virus

31 July 2014
Group of people in Liberia including two widows mentioned in the article

Following the deaths of two health workers in Liberia, trade unions have called on the government to hold discussions with health workers and reach a joint policy to tackle Ebola and avoid further deaths from the disease.

Healthcare workers killed by Ebola’s worst outbreak ever

08 July 2014

The global trade union federation Public Services International condemns the preventable deaths of dozens of healthcare workers, killed on the job by Ebola because they did not have the necessary tools and equipment.

Statement: Healthcare workers killed by Ebola’s worst outbreak ever

08 July 2014

The global trade union federation Public Services International condemns the preventable deaths of dozens of healthcare workers, killed on the job by Ebola because they did not have the necessary tools and equipment.

Video: Liberian Government denies compensation to health workers who die from Ebola while saving lives

03 June 2014

Watch an interview with Paul Tilame of the PSI-affiliated National Private Sector Health Workers Union of Liberia (NPSHWU) talking about the protests at the health ministers summit in Monrovia in April and the deaths of the health workers from Ebola.

After Yolanda: Government employees are also human beings

11 March 2014

Four months after Typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda as it's known in the Phlippines, PSI affiliate in the Philippines, PSLINK, has put together a photo report of the effects Yolanda has had on the population and more specifically on the lives of public sector workers.