Improved Real Time Communication in West Africa Critical in Fighting Epidemic

23 October 2014, Singapore — LG Electronics (LG) will be contributing two thousands smartphones toward the United Nations’ response to the deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. The donated smartphones from LG will be provided to healthcare and other key personnel dispatched by the UN in the affected areas where they are urgently needed. The smartphones will allow for fast and seamless communication between the teams on the ground, focusing on medical data gathering, monitoring and planning. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will facilitate the distribution of the mobile devices.

“We hope that our contribution will make a difference as the UN and NGOs fight on the front lines to improve healthcare, food security and sanitation in areas affected by the Ebola epidemic,” said Choong-hak Lee, senior vice president and head of LG‘s corporate social responsibility efforts. “This endeavor is representative of LG‘s ongoing mission to use its technology to contribute toward resolving global issues.”

According to OCHA, almost one billion dollars will be needed to address the immediate humanitarian needs caused by the Ebola virus. Almost 5,000 people have been infected with Ebola since the outbreak started in West Africa in March with more than 2,400 individuals having died across the region. Support from LG and other international partners are critical to the UN’s efforts to stabilize the outbreak.