RTR4AORC.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
China is donating an assistance package of 500 million yuan ($81.7 million) to the fight against Ebola in West Africa, President Xi Jinping announced on Friday.
The donation will constitute the fourth round of assistance package sent by China to help prevent the spread of the disease particularly in the worst-hit West African countries that include Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
China had previously sent two teams of medical experts and extended $16 million worth of aid to the affected countries.
Along with the new financial help, China will also reinforce its medical efforts in the beleaguered region by sending more medical workers, according to the president.
Earlier this week, China also donated $2 million to the World Health Organization. The funds will be used to help support the UN organization in its work to control and treat Ebola in the three countries.
"WHO has been urging countries to step in to support the response effort, and we are very grateful that China has heeded this call," said Bernhard Schwartländer, WHO Representative in China.
The latest donation package sent by China is an addition to the series of financial and nonmonetary assistance already provided by the country to help deal with the biggest Ebola oubreak in history. The nonfinancial donations included several batches of emergency assistance, close to 200 medical staff, and a mobile laboratory in Sierra Leone, which is used for testing and disease surveillance.
As of Oct. 19, there have been 9,936 cases of the disease, which has killed 4,877 people.
