HEREFORD charity Concern Universal has said that the Ebola crisis its workers are witnessing in Guinea is the worst in their twenty years working in the region.

On the ground the King Street charity is providing hand-washing systems, chlorine and soap in public places, as well as protective suits for medical workers in the West African country.

However last week the charity issued a plea for more donations in order to keep providing those basic supplies, as well as educating communities about the virus.

“People need help,” said Concern Universal’s Guinea director, Cedric Martin.

“They will continue to die in their thousands if nothing is done."

“Concern Universal is helping save lives but we desperately need more support.

“There is a critical need to support devastated communities and to spread awareness about the disease.

“At the moment, communities are paralysed by fear and too afraid to visit doctors or use public transport.”

An appeal on the charity’s website – http://concern-universal.org – puts in perspective the cost of fighting Ebola, which the World Health Organisation has warned could reach 10,000 cases a week if the international community does not step up its response.

A donation of £19 could pay for a set of protective overalls for health workers, £34 will cover that kit, plus boots, gloves and a mask, while £74 will pay for two field workers to teach a whole community how to protect themselves from the disease.

In addition to its work fighting the disease, Concern Universal are tackling the increasing humanitarian problem of children, orphaned by Ebola, being left alone to provide for themselves as fear of infection scares off the rest of their community from helping them.

You can find out more about the charity and its Ebola appeal on its website, which also allows you to donate online.