The King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has donated $ 35 million to West African countries affected by Ebola, according to a statement from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Four countries are concerned by this gift: Guinea, Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone.
The funds will be used to provide thermal sensors and screening equipment for the identification and treatment of patients with the virus. The equipment will be used in schools, airports, railway stations and public transport bus stations, the statement said.
The Saudi donation must also fund the establishment of specialized medical centers in the management of suspected cases in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
In the statement the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) indicated that the program launched by the King and executed by the IsDB will combat against Ebola virus disease include the following:
- Provision of thermal sensor schools and screening equipment for the identification of patients with the virus and treatment, as by then slowing of disease transmission to other people. Once equipped with the necessary facilities, the schools will be reopened for this academic year and will be practiced on students and students of screening tests to ensure the absence of infection, thus reassuring parents that their children are adequately protected.
- Supply at airports, railway stations and bus transport stations common thermal sensors and detection equipment that will help identify people and treat the early stages of the disease.
- Establish in the affected countries, a specialized medical center to handle suspected cases, especially among students, school staff, hospitals and transit stations, and among people at public places that could constitute places of transmission. In these centers, tests will be carried out and if they are unfortunately positive, patients will be evacuated to special institutions.
- Creation of a specialized treatment center in Mali, where the disease has occurred but has fortunately not yet propagated. The center will strengthen the capacity of the Malian authorities to deal with potential outbreaks.
The President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, said that the gift of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is a valuable contribution to support the Islamic world donations to fight against this disease. He also confirmed that screening equipments to be acquired by the donation will help to quickly reopen schools in the affected countries. As for the new health centers, he said that they will strengthen the fight against the disease infrastructures and will deal with potential outbreaks that would appear in the future.
The World Health Organization announced on 17th December that 6,900 people died on the 18,569 who contracted the Ebola virus in three of the most affected countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) by the outbreak.