UNA donates another $5,000 to fight Ebola outbreak in West Africa

United Nurses of Alberta has donated a second $5,000 to the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) fund-raising drive for Doctors Without Borders and the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN) to protect health care workers in countries affected by the West African Ebola outbreak.

“Nurses’ unions across Canada have always stepped up in times of crisis to assist with disaster relief,” UNA President Heather Smith said. “We are pleased that UNA can contribute again to this important cause.”

Smith and other officers of Canadian nursing unions in CFNU are in Banff to meet and to observe the meeting of Canada’s provincial and territorial health ministers taking place today.

UNA and CFNU have a strong relationship with National Nurses United, the union of U.S. nurses that sponsors the RNRN program. RNRN deploys and provides support for volunteer nurses when disaster strikes. With RNRN, nurses can focus on providing patient care.

Founded in 1971, Doctors Without Borders has a long history of working in countries facing health crises.

“We also encourage individual UNA members and locals to make donations to these organizations,” Smith said. UNA made the first donation on Sept. 19.