About Ebola

Ebola is a severe, often fatal, illness that is transmitted to people from wild animals. It is spread through direct contact with blood, secretions and other bodily fluids of infected people and with surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids.

According to the WHO, the average case fatality rate is 50%. The 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa was the largest and most complex since the virus was first discovered in 1976.

Our work

The IFRC and our National Societies have been on the frontlines of the response to Ebola outbreaks in Africa in recent years. Our activities include:

• Community-based surveillance
• Infection prevention and control
• Supporting vaccination campaigns
• Safe and dignified burials
• Psychosocial support
• Water, sanitation and hygiene services

A really important part of our work tackling Ebola is community engagement. For instance, during the 2014-16 outbreak in West Africa, Red Cross teams went door-to-door and worked with trusted community elders and religious leaders to ensure families knew how the virus is spread, what the symptoms are, and the importance of early treatment. We also used a range of communication channels—including TV soap operas, interactive radio programmes and SMS messaging—to debunk harmful Ebola myths, share trusted health information and challenge stigma surrounding the disease.

About HIV

HIV targets a person’s immune system and weakens people’s defence against infections and certain types of cancers. It is transmitted via bodily fluids, mainly blood, but can also be transmitted from a mother to her child during pregnancy and delivery. The most advanced stage of the disease is called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which can take many years to develop.

HIV has claimed millions of lives to date and, according to the WHO, at the end of 2020 an estimated 37.6 million people were living with HIV. There is no cure, but with increasing access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, it is a manageable chronic health condition. Today, people with HIV can lead long and healthy lives.

Our work

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have been delivering HIV projects since the mid 1980s. Our HIV strategy focuses on community-led initiatives to scale up HIV services and support the most vulnerable people before, during and after disasters and health emergencies.

Through our vast network of volunteers, we:

• Work to reduce new infections by delivering community-based prevention projects, even in the remotest of areas
• Work to reduce HIV-related deaths by providing HIV treatment, care and support interventions—this includes helping health services cope with increased demand for antiretroviral therapy
• Tackle stigma and discrimination by meaningfully involving people living with HIV in our network and running community awareness campaigns

Advocacy lies at the core of our work on HIV at the global level. We call upon governments to review repressive laws and policies and remove the legal, social and economic barriers preventing equitable access to vital HIV-related services, particularly for higher-risk populations.

About measles

Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus. It is normally spread through direct contact and through the air. Measles is one of the leading killers of children worldwide despite a safe and effective vaccine being available. According to the WHO, in 2018 there were more than 140,000 measles deaths globally, mostly among children under the age of five.

Our work

When measles outbreaks occur, our National Societies act quickly—deploying volunteers to contain the outbreak, raise awareness about vaccination, support vaccination campaigns and conduct community engagement activities to prevent onward spread.

National Societies and their volunteers work to maximize measles vaccination coverage by reaching even the most isolated areas through community activities such as house-to-house visits. Learn more about our immunization work.

The IFRC also supports the Measles and Rubella Initiative, a global partnership committed to reducing measles deaths. It is led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Initiative aims to:

• Support countries to raise coverage of measles, rubella and other vaccines
• Fund, plan, implement and monitor additional vaccine campaigns
• Investigate outbreaks
• Provide technical and financial support for effective outbreak response
• Propose and participate in solutions to improve immunization delivery
• Support a global laboratory network for measles and rubella

Discover more in the Measles and Rubella Initiative's Strategic Framework 2021-2030

About polio

Polio is a very infectious viral disease that can cause irreversible paralysis. It mainly affects young children and is most commonly spread through faecal/oral transmission. Polio can therefore spread quickly in areas with poor water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

There is no cure for polio but it can be prevented by immunization. The polio vaccine can protect a child for life. Thanks to global efforts to eradicate polio, according to the WHO, wild cases have decreased by over 99% since 1988.

Our work

The IFRC and our National Societies have worked for many years in the fight to eradicate polio. Our network of community-based volunteers reach marginalized and isolated communities with polio immunization, treatment, care and community engagement activities.

In certain parts of the world, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies are the only organizations able to operate due to conflict and fragility, for instance in border areas of Afghanistan—one of only two remaining polio-endemic countries in the world.

Useful links

IFRC immunization

Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) website

About TB

TB is caused by bacteria that most commonly affect the lungs. It is spread from person to person through the air and is both curable and preventable. According to the WHO, TB is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide with 1.4 million people dying from TB in 2019.

TB is a disease of poverty. While it can be treated easily with antibiotics, many people affected cannot afford these drugs. If left untreated, each person with active TB will infect an average of 10 to 15 people per year—most of whom cannot afford treatment either.

Tuberculosis is also an opportunistic disease that takes advantage of people whose immune system is already weakened, such as people living with HIV.

Our work

Many Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies support national planning and coordination of TB programmes. This includes identifying TB patients, particularly those in vulnerable groups, in time and controlling infection.

We pay special attention to the link with HIV, accessing hard-to-reach populations and supporting patients to follow relevant treatment.

We run communication, social mobilization and advocacy campaigns for TB and HIV prevention. This includes helping people to learn about both diseases and how to access treatment, as well as how to care and support people living with HIV and/or TB.

We also work in communities to reduce stigma and discrimination by running community support groups and peer-to-peer activities.