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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 25, 2014 3:45 PM IST
China has confirmed to offer 500 million yuan (about $82 million) in aid to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and international organisations to support in the fight against Ebola, as declared bu Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday.
'China will offer aid in cash and in kind, send more health experts and medical staff and help build a treatment centre in Liberia,' Xi said while meeting with visiting President of Tanzania Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.
Xi said China was willing to work with the international community to help the affected countries win the fight against Ebola at an early date, Xinhua reported.
The Ebola epidemic in West Africa has continued to spread, threatening the lives of African people, their economic and social development as well as global public health, the president noted.
China knew how the affected countries suffered and has taken the lead to provide three rounds of assistance to them. 'A friend in need is a friend in deed,' Xi said.
Since the Ebola outbreak in February, China has delivered humanitarian aid, offering multiple batches of emergency assistance and dispatching nearly 200 experts and workers to the affected areas to help with prevention and control.
In August, China delivered aid worth 30 million yuan (about $5 million) to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
A month later, the Chinese government announced another consignment of cash, food and material aid and donated $2 million in cash to the World Health Organisation and the African Union.
China's mobile laboratory in Sierra Leone has tested more than 500 Ebola samples with 100 percent accuracy. Local health authorities said the data played an important role in assisting the government of Sierra Leone in handling the emergency.
Other contributions to West Africa
Ethiopia
Ethiopia takes a step forward to contribute to Ebola-affected countries by sending out 210 health professional to eradicate the epidemic as soon as possible. In addition, the East African nation has also decided to provide financial support of $500,000 in the highly affected countries, Xinhua reported.
The mission from Ethiopia comprises medical doctors, nurses, field epidemiologists, environmental health professionals and public health specialists. Know more on Ethiopia's health care contributions to West Africa.
The European Union (EU)
The European Union (EU) will be increasing its contribution to West Africa for combating Ebola to one billion euros ($1.27 billion). West African countries are the worst affected by the deadly virus, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said Friday.
EU will increase financial help to one billion euros to fight Ebola in West Africa, said Van Rompuy through his Twitter account during the summit of European Union leaders in Brussels. Know more here.
Mexico and Cuba
Mexico has also now joined hands with The World Health Organisation (WHO) to combat the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, as per the foreign affairs ministry. The ministry declared in a statement that Mexico will make a financial contribution to help equip the doctors and healthcare workers.
Aware that diseases know no boundaries and must be tackled in a coordinated fashion at the international level, the ministry said, The governments of Cuba and Mexico have decided to join forces to help fight the Ebola epidemic . Continue reading here. Read more on Ebola virus causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention.
Image source: Getty Images
With inputs from IANS
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