EU boosts anti-Ebola aid

The EU is continuing to scale up its response to the Ebola epidemic as its co-ordinator for the emergency, commissioner Christos Stylianides together with Vytenis Andriukaitis, commissioner for health, return from a four-day mission to the affected countries.

New funding of €29m will be made available by the European Commission:

• €17m for transporting vital aid supplies and equipment to the affected countries, evacuation of infected international aid workers to hospitals in Europe and training and deploying health workers to the ground. Money will also reinforce local health facilities.
• €12m in assistance to the neighbours of the affected countries, to help them prepare for the risk of an Ebola outbreak through early detection and public awareness measures.

The new aid was announced by Stylianides on his return from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, where he gathered first-hand knowledge of the challenges and considered the next steps in the EU response.

“I have seen for myself how much is being done on the ground, in very difficult circumstances, and how much more needs to be done to stop Ebola’s spread. I was impressed with the bravery of humanitarian workers in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. More of them are needed and we must intensify our joint efforts to contain, control, treat and ultimately defeat this virus,” said Stylianides.

Sweden has announced that it will deploy, via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, 42 doctors, nurses and other health personnel who will run a treatment centre on the ground.

The new funding brings the European Commission’s assistance for this emergency to €373m. The EU’s total contribution is close to €1.1bn. This financial aid is in addition to essential equipment, medical personnel from member states and co-ordinated delivery of support.