EU boosts anti-Ebola aid

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Union is continuing to scale up its response to the Ebola epidemic as its Coordinator 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 €29 million will be made available by the European Commission:

€17 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.

€12 million 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 Christos Stylianides, EU Ebola Coordinator and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response upon 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 Christos Stylianides. Today he is briefing EU Foreign Affairs Ministers on the Ebola response.

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. Following his call for more medical workers where they are needed the most, Commissioner Stylianides welcomed this announcement and commended Sweden on acting decisively and making good use of the EU’s coordination assets.

Both Commissioner Stylianides and Commissioner Andriukaitis paid tribute to the European countries who are contributing experts, aid, and equipment in the fight against Ebola.

“We will not give up until Ebola is defeated. I saw great suffering and enormous needs during this trip: there are not enough doctors and nurses and I am appealing to all Health Ministers to send more medical staff to West Africa. I witnessed great need for equipment, medicines, transport means, water, sanitation. Europe is here to help put an end to Ebola now and to help long-term recovery required to address these needs”, said the EU Health Commissioner, Vytenis Andriukaitis.

The new funding brings the European Commission’s assistance for this emergency to €373 million. The European Union’s total contribution is close to €1.1 billion. This financial aid is in addition to essential equipment, medical personnel from Member States and coordinated delivery of support.