AC Milan midfielder Michael Essien has urged the football world to get behind his #UnitedAgainstEbola campaign.
The Ghanaian is working with the Health Africa International try to combat the threat of Ebola and its potential impact on the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
Essien has revealed that he started the project after an internet rumour claimed that he was suffering with the disease, which has killed over 6,000 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and wants other players to lend their backing.
"There was a joke about me on the internet that I have got Ebola. I said this in not a joke and I came up with this campaign to try and educate people in Africa about the disease," he told BBC Sport. "I was not worried. I had not travelled to Africa. I was fine. I was in good health. People around the world were more worried about me so I tried to calm everybody down.
"I'm still working on it to try and get some of my teammates and people I know to get involved and to promote this campaign and try to raise awareness and to raise money for those who need it.
"The most important thing is when someone has the virus how to deal with the person and how to go close to the person. So if we can all join together to solve this problem I think it will be very good for Africa."
The Africa Cup of Nations, which will take place during January and February 2015, is now being held in Equatorial Guinea, after Morocco withdrew from hosting the competition due to Ebola fears.
Joe Fish
