Brussels, 08/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - The three West African countries most affected by the Ebola epidemic (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) and their neighbouring countries will together be able to count on €61 million in aid from the EU to tackle this crisis. The commitment of the funding was announced by European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica from Guinea (where he has just conducted a visit - see EUROPE 11212). At the same time the EU is stepping up the deployment of medical resources via the civil protection mechanism, much to the satisfaction of EU coordinator for the fight against Ebola, Christos Stylianides.
The €61 million “will help the countries affected by Ebola to better deal with the multiple challenges that arise from this crisis”, said Mimica, reiterating that “the EU stands firmly side by side with the people of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - both in overcoming Ebola, as well as over the medium and long term. We need to make sure that the countries can quickly recover from this crisis and get back on a path of sustainable development”.
Budget support. These financial resources, taken from the European Development Fund, will mainly finance direct support for the government of Guinea (€11 million) and Liberia (€14 million) to help them absorb the economic impact of the epidemic, as well as food support measures.
Aid to health sector re-directed. Part of the aid comes from re-directing resources already committed. This is particularly the case for €20 million that was earmarked for a health project launched in Guinea in 2013, and which is now being re-directed to the fight against Ebola. It will be used in particular for improving access to basic quality health care in the Guinean forest (a region particularly affected by the virus) and for providing support to health infrastructure for the training of health professionals.
Support to the region. €11 million will finance preparatory measures for this hemorrhagic fever in the neighbouring countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Togo and the Côte d'Ivoire).
More medical resources. Alongside the development aid, aid in European medical staff is also being stepped up so as to respond to the call launched by Stylianides and European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis (see EUROPE 11208 and 11190).
On Saturday 6 December, Greece decided to rush a six-person mobile medical team (four doctors, a nurse and a paramedic) to the three most affected countries and to contribute to the financing of the required medical equipment. Stylianides and Greece's Minister for Health Mavroudis Voridis announced this together in Athens.
Hailing Greece and the countries that have already responded to the European Commission's call (France and Sweden), Stylianides called on the member states to mobilise more resources. “More staff are urgently needed, more trainers for medical workers, more epidemiologists”, he said.
Medical evacuation. Contributions from the member states to the Medevac system, which is now operational, are also increasing. Following Luxembourg's step, announcing the availability of two aeroplanes for the medical evacuation of international staff in case of need, Germany has made a plane available which is equipped for the treatment of serious Ebola cases. (AN)