Time magazine to feature healthcare workers fighting Ebola

Time Magazine's Person of the Year will feature 'The Ebola Fighters.'

2014 will go down in history as the year Ebola crossed into our borders and threatened the lives of American healthcare workers.

The World Health Organization is working this week to figure out ways to restore health care systems shattered by the outbreak across the globe.

One Houston doctor who traveled to Sierra Leone to fight the virus said it's important to stay focused on the fight.'The key to making it stop altogether is controlling the outbreak on the ground,' University of Texas Medical Branch Dr. Thomas Ksiazek said.For some doctors and researchers, a call to action means keeping the human population safe from disease, no matter the cost.'For me, the reward is actually through having participated in these things,' Ksiazek said about treating Ebola victims in West Africa. 'And sort of controlling the disease.'

Ksaizek, and the countless others who travel abroad in order to contain the virus in West Africa, will be represented by five people on the cover of Time magazine. Three of them are survivors, including Texas Dr. Kent Brantly.

'This is a huge honor. It's an incredible honor to be part of the group that's being recognized as Time magazine's Person of the Year,' Brantly said. 'And I think that it's fitting that we acknowledge that most Ebola fighters, certainly those that paid the highest price for their service are themselves West Africans and it's an honor for me to be considered as a part of that group.'To these doctors, this isn't a historic event but one that's still happening and needs more fighters like the ones on the front page of Time heading to the front lines.In explaining this year's decision, Time magazine described the Ebola battle as one being fought with bleach and prayer, recognizing that anyone willing to help Ebola victims also takes on the risk of becoming one.The magazine hits newsstands Friday.

The White House suggests people looking for ways to help visit this website:

http://ift.tt/1wAK6PA

Other agencies providing services on the ground can be found here:

http://ift.tt/1wAK8a9