New UN Mission Chief Takes Over

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed arrived in Accra, Ghana, on Jan. 3 as the newly appointed Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and begins work this week as head of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed arrived in Accra, Ghana, on Jan. 3 as the newly appointed Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and begins work this week as head of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), according to a UN news report. He replaces Anthony Banbury.

Ould Cheikh Ahmed met with UNMEER staffers at a Jan. 3 town hall meeting where he praised their achievements and discussed the challenges in battling the Ebola outbreak in west Africa. "This is a global crisis. We definitely have a difficult time ahead of us, but we can achieve it. We have no plan B, we have to get rid of this virus. This is within our reach, but we should not be complacent," he said, according to the report.

The latest World Health Organization numbers show there are 20,206 confirmed, probable, or suspected cases of Ebola and 7,905 reported deaths to date in this outbreak. "We need to keep going until we don't have even one case, because even one case is too many," Ould Cheikh Ahmed said. "The work ahead remains very hard, but we really have no other choice."

Banbury welcomed him and said, "Even while we face a lot of hard work in the days, weeks and months ahead, it's important to pause and think back to where we were when we started. There were predictions that there would be 1.4 million cases by now."

Ould Cheikh Ahmed is scheduled to visit Liberia and Sierra Leone this week and Guinea soon after, accompanied by the UN Special Envoy on Ebola, Dr. David Nabarro. Before his new appointment, Ould Cheikh Ahmed was deputy special representative and deputy head of the UN Support Mission in Libya.

Product Showcase

  • SECUPRO MARTEGO

    FOR HIGHEST DEMANDS. A cutting tool in which function and design go hand in hand. Meet the SECUPRO MARTEGO, our prize-winning squeeze-grip safety knife with fully automatic retractable blade for safety. • Ergonomically friendly trigger mechanism to engage the blade • Durable body made of aluminum • Safer alternative to fixed blade utility knives for general cutting tasks • 9 mm Cutting depth • Easy, tool free blade change Dimensions: L 6.10" L x 0.71" W x 1.91" H Weight: 3.70 oz Cutting Depth: 9 mm Read More

  • Kestrel 5400 Heat Stress Tracker WBGT Monitoring for Workplace Safety

    Ensure safety with the Kestrel® 5400 Heat Stress Tracker, the go-to choice for safety professionals and endorsed by the Heat Safety & Performance Coalition. This robust, waterless WBGT meter is ideal for both indoor and outdoor environments, offering advanced monitoring and data logging essential for OSHA compliance. It features pre-programmed ACGIH guidelines and alert settings to quickly signal critical conditions. Integrated with the cloud-based Ambient Weather Network, the 5400 allows managers to view, track, and log job site conditions remotely, ensuring constant awareness of potential hazards. Its capability for real-time mobile alerts and remote data access promotes proactive safety management and workplace protection, solidifying its role as a crucial tool in industrial hygiene. Read More

  • NoiseCHEK Personal Noise Dosimeter

    SKC NoiseCHEK is the easiest-to-use dosimeter available! Designed specifically for OEHS professionals, SKC NoiseCHEK offers the easiest operation and accurate noise measurements. Everything you need is right in your palm. Pair Bluetooth models to your mobile devices and monitor workers remotely with the SmartWave dB app without interrupting workflow. Careful design features like a locking windscreen, sturdy clip, large front-lit display, bright status LEDs, and more make NoiseCHEK the top choice in noise dosimeters. Demo NoiseCHEK at AIHA Connect Booth 1003. Read More

Featured

Artificial Intelligence