‘Diamond’ joins stars in fight against Ebola

Celebrated Tanzanian artiste Abdul Naseeb better known for his stage name ‘Diamond Platnumz’ joined other thirteen African artists to pressure African leaders do more – and quickly – to fight the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and take action to strengthen national health systems to prevent and contain future outbreaks.

The ONE Campaign released a video in which African icons including Diamond, Akon (Senegal) Fally Ipupa (DRC), Angélique Kidjo (Benin), Danai Gurira (Zimbabwe) Ice Prince, Femi Kuti, Desmond Elliot and Praiz (Nigeria); Mafikizolo and T-bo Touch (South Africa), Victoria Kimani (Kenya), Magasco (Cameroon) are joined by a Liberian nurse who treated Ebola patients and an Ebola survivor in making this call.

The video reiterates the call by African Union Chair, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, for all African leaders to take more responsibility and act urgently by providing more trained personnel, materials, financing and international coordination to all affected countries.

The video, which is completely silent, highlights how the world waited too long to act, and over 5,000 lives were lost as a result and urges for the delivery of commitments made in order to succeed in the fight against Ebola. The video ends with a call to action for citizens to sign ONE’s petition.

The petition asks world leaders to step up and provide more trained personnel, materials, financing and international coordination to help stop Ebola.

Dr Sipho Moyo, Executive Director of ONE Africa, said: “The world’s initial response to the Ebola outbreak was too slow, too uncoordinated and as a result too costly if you consider that over 5,000 lives were lost.” Moyo added:

“We need to see an acceleration of coordinated efforts if we are to stop Ebola in its tracks. In the spirit of African solidarity, our leaders have stood with the people of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea in their fight against Ebola.”

On his side, Congolese musician Fally Ipupa had this to say: “We are waiting for African nations to heed the African Union call to step up and lead the way, effectively responding to this heartbreaking crisis.

DRC stopped Ebola. Nigeria Stopped Ebola.” “The countries still affected need all African countries to do more to stop it there, starting with sending more healthcare workers to the affected countries.

This is a humanitarian crisis that demands the attention of not only the entire continent, but the entire world.” Dr Nkosazana Zuma Chairperson of the African Union Commission said more needs to be done faster to contain the virus and to create sustainable systems to prevent the recurrence of such public health emergencies.

“While our first priority needs to be containing this Ebola outbreak, it is equally important that Africa and the world take bold steps now to invest in strengthening health systems so that future tragedies of this kind can be stopped in their tracks.”