Chinese medics in Liberia to beef up Ebola fight
MONROVIA: A large team of Chinese health workers arrived in Liberia to boost the Ebola fight as a US-based doctor infected in Sierra Leone was described as being “extremely ill”.
The 160-strong Chinese deployment to the west African country worst hit by the virus came as the world’s most powerful economies vowed to “extinguish” the epidemic, which has claimed more than 5,100 lives.
The Chinese doctors, epidemiologists and nurses will staff a US$41 million (33 million euro) Ebola treatment unit which will be up and running in 10 days, ambassador Zhang Yue said in a statement on Sunday.
The health workers have had previous experience in tackling the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in Asia, Zhang said, adding that its total aid to Liberia would be US$46 million.
At least 2,812 people have so far died of Ebola in Liberia.
So far Beijing has promised Ebola-hit countries the equivalent of US$122 million to help fight the epidemic.
Since the beginning of the year, China has given west African countries a total of 234 million yuan (US$38.2 million) in emergency assistance, including disease prevention and control materials, grain and cash, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Ch ina is Africa’s largest trading partner, and its diplomatic footprint across the continent has expanded hugely in recent years as it seeks resources to power its economy.
Still it is a long way behind the European Union, whose leaders have boosted their Ebola aid to one billion euros (US$1.26 billion).
On Sunday, a Dutch aid ship, the “Karel Doorman”, docked at Dakar on its way to Freetown, Conakry and Monrovia.
On board were vehicles and emergency equipment from nine European countries, the Netherlands’ embassy in Senegal said.
Meanwhile a doctor said to be “extremely ill” after being infected with Ebola in Sierra Leone was being treated in the United States.
Martin Salia, a US resident who was infected with the deadly haemorrhagic fever while treating patients in his home country, was flown to Nebraska for treatment.
“This is an hour-by-hour situation,” said Phil Smith, medical director of the biocontainment unit at the Nebraska hospital, one of a handful of medical facilities in the United States specially designated to treat Ebola patients. —AFP