The United Arab Emirates has allocated $10 million to support international efforts to contain Ebola in Africa and strengthen health services in affected areas, state news agency WAM reported on Saturday.
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan directed that the funding be provided through the UAE’s international aid agency, according to WAM.
The commitment was announced during a US-convened meeting on the Ebola outbreak and the international response, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Tareq Ahmed Al Ameri, chairman of the UAE aid agency, said the country was working with governments, international organisations and regional institutions to help communities facing health emergencies.
The UAE has already sent more than 150 tonnes of aid and supplies to affected areas, he said. Shipments included protective equipment and infection-control materials that supported around 280 health facilities, alongside shelter supplies and food for affected populations, including women and children.
Al Ameri called for faster international action to curb transmission and bolster health systems’ capacity for prevention, early detection and response.
The funding comes as the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to spread geographically, WAM reported, increasing the need for coordinated efforts to contain the disease and limit its humanitarian impact.
