EU donates Sh16b in war on Ebola in Africa

NAIROBI, KENYA: The European Union (EU) has set aside about Sh16 billion to help combat the deadly Ebola in West Africa.

EU says it has dedicated the money for a Regional Ebola Response Package to bolster health care systems and reinforce the affected governments' capacity to address the crisis.

EU's ambassador to Kenya, Lodewijk Briet, made the announcement when he met Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed in her office yesterday evening. The envoy gave a briefing on how EU is working in West Africa to tackle an d help recovery from the outbreak.

This comes less than a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta criticised the global reaction to the disease, saying the response would not have been the same if it had happened in Europe or America.

"The kind of response given to the affected countries is not the kind we would have seen if this happened somewhere in Europe or America," the President said in Malabo, Guinea.

Kenya set the first example after President Kenyatta announced a donation of Sh87 million to the West African states, which was followed by Guinea that announced Sh174 million for the same cause.

But EU defended itself, saying the European Commission gave €1.9 million in March to help contain the epidemic and ensure immediate healthcare to the affected populations, with additional packages of humanitarian assistance being provided on two occasions; bringing the amount to €11.9 million.

"This funding provides immediate healthcare to the affected communities and helps contain the spread of the epidemic. It is used for the clinical management of cases including isolation of patients and their psycho-social support, tracing suspected cases, training and supply of personal protective equipment, conducting communication outreach on hygiene and disease awareness as well as providing guidance for national authorities," said the ambassador.