GENEVA (CMC) – The World Health Organisation (WHO) has welcomed the commitment from the Government of Cuba to provide 165 health professionals to support Ebola care in West Africa.
WHO said yesterday that the newly announced support includes physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, specialists in infection control, intensive care specialists and social mobilisation officers.
The Cuban health care professionals will be concentrated in Sierra Leone.
“If we are going to go to war with Ebola, we need the resources to fight,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO’s director-general in a statement.
“I am extremely grateful for the generosity of the Cuban government and these health professionals for doing their part to help us contain the worst Ebola outbreak ever known,” she added.
“This will make a significant difference in Sierra Leone.”
The WHO Ebola Response Roadmap, released on August 28, highlights the need for a massively scaled response to support affected countries.
“The commitment from the Cuban government exemplifies the kind of international effort required to intensify response activities and strengthen national capacities,” WHO said.
Chan said Cuba is “world-famous for its ability to train outstanding doctors and nurses and for its generosity in helping fellow countries on the route to progress.”
She said the Cuban health care professionals will be deployed to Sierra Leone the first week in October and stay for six months.
