NEW YORK (November 14, 2014)Ten new Ebola Community Care Centers are set to open this week in Sierra Leone’s Bombali district as part of a new drive to bring Ebola treatment closer to communities.

Built by UNICEF, the tented centers will boost the number of beds in Bombali, one of the districts worst hit by the current Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 1,000 people in Sierra Leone since May.

“These 8-bed centers will allow those with the Ebola virus to be isolated within their communities in a place where they can get basic care, free medicine, safe water and sanitation, and food supplies,” said Roeland Monasch, UNICEF Representative in Sierra Leone.

The centers will be run by the Government of Sierra Leone through their District Health Management Team, with local non-governmental organization World Hope International providing training, monitoring and social mobilization support. They will be staffed by trained health workers and equipped with personal protective equipment.

Construction followed extensive consultation with local authorities and traditional leaders to make sure they are an accepted and integrated part of local communities. As well as providing basic care and isolation, they will also serve as focal points for safe and dignified burials and activities to raise awareness among communities.

UNICEF is providing the tents, tarpaulins and construction materials to build the centers, along with the day-to-day supplies needed to keep health workers safe from infection and provide patients with supportive treatment. Funding was provided by the UK Department for International Development.

UNICEF is planning to build around 30 more centers in neighboring districts in the coming weeks.

To view photos and video from Ebola-affected countries, please visit: http://uni.cf/1xZAb39

How to help: For more information or to make a tax-deductible contribution to UNICEF’s relief efforts, please contact the U.S. Fund for UNICEF:

Website: www.unicefusa.org/EbolaToll free: 1-800-FOR-KIDSText: EBOLA to 864233 to donate $10.

Mail: 125 Maiden Lane, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10038As with any emergency, in the event that donations exceed anticipated needs, the U.S. Fund will redirect any excess funds to children in greatest need.

About UNICEFThe United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact:

Susannah Masur, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.880.9146, smasur@unicefusa.org