Monrovia, Jan 2, (Reuters) - The Royal Dutch Navy vessel, Karel Doorman, Friday docked at the Freeport of Monrovia to deliver another round of medical and logistical supplies to aid Liberia in the fight against Ebola.
The donation came from 9 European countries according to Paul Middelberg, Karel Doorman’s Public Affairs Officer.
They included Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Austria, Romania, and Hungary among others.
“For now this is the final shipment,” Mr. Middelberg told reporters shortly after Karel Doorman, the largest naval vessel, docked at the Freeport of Monrovia.
Prior to its docking at Monrovia’s Freeport, “the vessel delivered essential supplies to enhance the Ebola hard hit Guinea and Sierra Leone,” said Thomas Debandt, Logistic Cluster Information Management Officer, who was at the port to take delivery of the consignment.
Debandt told reporters that Karel Doorman brought in 17 vehicles, 24 medical pallets and 5 containers of essential supplies to enhance the Ebola responses.
“It includes everything that would be used to support the work in Ebola Treatment Units but the most important delivery here is 17 vehicles including 2 ambulances,” Debandt said.
He said “For this shipment, there are no personal protective equipment (PPEs),” but added “PPEs are coming next month from the USA.
Mr. Christos Stylianides is the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.
“From the beginning of this crisis, it has been clear that the response to the Ebola epidemic requires not only funding for the NGOs and UN organizations working on the ground, but also equipment and personnel,” he said.
On its first mission to the three worst-hit countries in West Africa by Ebola: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the Dutch Vessel, Karel Doorman, docked in the Freeport of Monrovia on November 24, 2014.
It brought in essential humanitarian supplies after a journey of over two weeks and stops in the ports of Freetown and Conakry.
The supplies brought to Liberia valued at €3.6 million included 23 containers of assorted medical supplies and drugs, 21 ambulances and other vehicles, one self-contained mobile laboratory, among others.