EU pledges more support to Ebola affected countries

Mr Jean-Louis De Brouwer, a Director of the European Commission, on Friday said the European Union (EU) would continue to support Ebola affected countries to get out of that crisis.

He has also given the assurance that the EU would also continue to support African countries in fighting against the outbreak of other diseases apart from the Ebola Viral Disease.

Mr De Brouwer, who is the Director of Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Operations of the European Commission, was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on their contributions towards the fight against Ebola at the sidelines of ECOWAS high level meeting in Accra.

He said their contribution towards the fight had been massive and that apart from contributing cash and kind and training facilities totaling €1.2 billion in the past, the EU was still contributing experts and emergency supplies to the most affected countries; Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

"In addition, diplomatic outreach is being done via the delegations of the European Union and other channels in order to facilitate the humanitarian response in the countries concerned and to sensitise governments not to overreact to the crisis with regards to travel restrictions, and trade impediments," he said.

Mr De Brouwer gave the assurance that the EU, and the Commission for that matter, would step up mobilisation and support in the health sectors to combat the disease in the coming days.

He said the Union would organise a major conference on Ebola in March this year in Brussels, Belgium, where heads of the most affected countries would co-chair to strategise on the fight against the menace.

Engagement of the private sector and industry, he added, would be the next line of action against the disease.