MONROVIA August 28 (LINA) – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has provided US$60 million in grant to the three Mano River Union (MRU) countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone to tackle the Ebola disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Luis Gomes Sambo, who made the disclosure at a special press conference Wednesday in Monrovia, said WHO is expected to manage the money through its financial management system.

Sambo said the WHO and AfDB signed the US$60 million grant on Tuesday, August 26, according to the Liberia News Agency.

The WHO Regional Director said the grant will be used in the three affected countries to increase the capacity for Ebola case management and train national and international staff to boost the capacity of response to the disease.

He said the grant will also go to disease surveillance, contact tracing and provision of additional logistical support to ensure safe burials that would cut the chain of Ebola transmission in the shortest possible time.

Sambo pledged the commitment of WHO to work with the people of Liberia and all local and international partners to combat the Ebola disease and other ailments in the country.

He has meanwhile lauded the Government of Liberia for measures instituted to curb the spread of the disease in the country.

The three Mano River Union countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone have been struggling to contain the Ebola virus since its outbreak in the sub-region in March this year.

Latest figures show that over 1,500 persons have died of the Ebola virus in the three countries since March.
LINA WSG/TSS/PTK