China provides 5 mln yuan to help Ghana

ACCRA - China on Monday provided Ghana with 5 million yuan (833,000 U.S. dollars) worth of equipment and medical supplies to help the country battle Ebola outbreak which has claimed over 3,000 lives in African countries.

Sun Baohong, the Chinese ambassador to Ghana, urged the international community to stand together to prevail over the scourge of the epidemic at the signing ceremony.

"For the current epidemic situation in West Africa, China holds that it is important that the international society stay united," Sun stressed.

The ambassador reiterated China's support to the WHO and the United Nations in continuing to play necessary roles in

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"Epidemic knows no borders, yet adversity reveals true friendship," she noted, adding that the aid would add a new chapter to China-Ghana relations.

She however pointed out that it was very important in the final analysis to address both the symptoms and root cause of the outbreak, adding: "We must both manage the immediate crisis and remove the root cause of the epidemic."

Sun called for efforts to accelerate the research and development of vaccines and drugs to combat the disease.

"Countries should increase input in Africa to help Africa enhance its public health capacity and achieve greater development, for this is the fundamental answer to preventing any future outbreaks," the Chinese envoy added.

She commended efforts by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and the government in taking decisive and effective steps to coordinate with West African countries and the international community to combat the disease.

"This shows Ghana's strong leadership and the Pan-Africanist spirit of solidarity in going through thick and thin together with affected countries," Sun commended.

The aid to Ghana will include Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), beds, sanitizers and other important equipment.

Cassiel Ato Forson, deputy minister of Finance, who signed for Ghana, praised the efforts of the Chinese government in helping to end the Ebola outbreak in the sub-region.

"We are grateful to China for the leading role it is playing in the fight against Ebola in the sub-region," Forson said.

He was particularly glad that the gesture had not been to Ghana alone, but also to other West African countries, expressing great gratitude to the Chinese government for the 173 medical workers it had dispatched to the sub-region to help combat the disease.

In addition to Ghana, the Chinese government is providing one million dollars cash, 2 million dollars worth of grain and food, and a group of specialists each to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

It is also providing a mobile and a fixed laboratory with corollary testing and security equipment for Sierra Leone; 10 million yuan worth of prevention and relief materials for Nigeria; five million yuan worth of materials each for Mali, Benin, Guinea Bissau and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

China is also providing two million U.S. dollars respectively for the African Union and the WHO to support their work in guiding and coordinating the fight against the epidemic.