I am very worried that many more lives are at risk unless we can stop this Ebola epidemic in its tracks. I have been monitoring its deadly impact around the clock and am deeply saddened at how it has ravaged health workers, families and communities, disrupted normal life, and has led to a breakdown of already weak health systems in the three countries…international bodies need to act fast
August 5, 2014 – The World Bank has pledged a total sum of $200 million as part of commitment to fight the dread Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which has killed 729 people in West Africa.
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and recently Nigeria, four West African countries have been afflicted by the disease. Patrick Sawyer a Liberian died in Lagos in July while the female doctor working for First Consultant that attended to him in Lagos, Nigeria is now confirmed infected with the EVD.
The money would no doubt become handy just few days after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is raising $100 million to contain the disease.
World Bank Group President Dr. Jim Yong Kim, who is also a medical doctor said the new financing commitment was in response to a call from both the three African countries hardest-hit by Ebola and the World Health Organization (WHO) for immediate assistance to contain the outbreak.
He said the World Bank would also step up social safety net assistance for affected communities and families and help to build up public health systems in West Africa to strengthen the region’s disease control capacity more generally.
Kim said he would brief the Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors as soon as possible on the latest state of the epidemic and seek their approval for the new emergency package.
“I am very worried that many more lives are at risk unless we can stop this Ebola epidemic in its tracks. I have been monitoring its deadly impact around the clock and am deeply saddened at how it has ravaged health workers, families and communities, disrupted normal life, and has led to a breakdown of already weak health systems in the three countries.”
“The international community needs to act fast to contain and stop this Ebola outbreak. I believe this new World Bank emergency funding will provide critically needed support for the response to stop the further transmission of Ebola within Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, which would prevent new infections in neighboring at-risk countries.”
