Carrying 71 tonnes of safety and sanitation supplies, flight CV8145 departed Luxembourg at 8:00 am for Roberts International Airport in Monrovia, Liberia. The shipment consists of 9,702 personal protection equipment kits (gloves, gowns, masks, chlorine, etc.) against the Ebola hemorrhagic fever for affected families and also contains 3 tonnes of chlorine bound for MSF’s Ebola treatment center in the capital of Liberia.

This is the second of several charter flights operated by Europe’s leading all-cargo carrier and the well-known international humanitarian organization aimed at securing the fast and reliable transportation of urgently needed supplies to the affected countries via the establishment of a dedicated air bridge. While the vast majority of carriers have ceased operating to and from Monrovia, Cargolux remains committed to providing air transport solutions during such critical times. ‘Providing humanitarian airlift is a crucial element in the effective fight against Ebola. It is our responsibility to make sure that the affected countries are not sealed off from vital medical supplies’, said Cargolux CEO & President Dirk Reich.

Six months after the outbreak of the epidemic in West Africa, both the number of Ebola cases reported and people killed by the disease is increasing dramatically. To be able to effectively handle the situation before it turns into a major humanitarian crisis, the rapid deployment of accelerated and dedicated efforts is of key importance. ‘In emergency situations it is vital that relief supplies reach our medical teams swiftly’, explained Paul Delaunois,

Director General of MSF Luxembourg. ‘Thanks to Cargolux, the much needed help will reach the affected victims of the Ebola virus in Liberia in a fast and effective manner. Exceptional crises need immediate response and tangible actions. We are particularly grateful to Cargolux for playing its part in the fight against the Ebola virus in West Africa’, Delaunois added.

MSF has been responding to the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa since March 2014. More than 2,000 MSF staff are currently working in the region including some 200 international volunteers.