AN NHS Forth Valley consultant in emergency medicine is setting off for Sierra Leone as part of the UK’s efforts to tackle the Ebola outbreak.
Dr Roger Alcock, who works at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, will join other medics who have volunteered to assist in Britain’s £125 million aid package to help combat the deadly virus.
The outbreak has killed nearly 5000 people in West Africa with Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone the three worst-affected countries.
Dr Alcock will join staff at the Ebola treatment centre based in Port Loko.
He explained why he had decided to volunteer: “This is a medical humanitarian crisis and urgent medical help is required. It is important that we control and contain the virus to prevent its spread out-with West Africa. I have the training and experience to be able to go to Sierra Leone and have received tremendous support from colleagues, friends and family.”
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