Concern Worldwide wins EU health award for Ebola response

Concern Worldwide’s safe burials programme in Ebola-hit Sierra Leone has won second place at the inaugural EU Health Award ceremony in Luxembourg.

The EU Health Award went to three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that “distinguished themselves through their efforts and commitments during the Ebola emergency”.

For second place, Concern received €15,000. French NGO Alima came first and won €20,000. Third-placed Red Cross Spain got €10,000.

Last October, Concern, which has operated in Sierra Leone since the 1990s, was asked by the National Ebola Response Centre there to take over management of medical burials of all bodies in the west of the country, which includes the capital, Freetown.

The agency entered into a partnership with the Glasnevin Trust for use of its cemetery records management system to manage burial records and grave locations, enabling grieving families to visit burial places.

“It is wonderful for Concern’s swift and effective response to the Ebola crisis to be recognised with this award,” said regional director Austin Kennan.

To date, Concern’s teams have conducted more than 16,500 burials, which have also helped to prevent the spread of Ebola. At the peak, they were burying an average of 450 bodies a week.