Minister Sherlock announces €120,000 additional funding to fight the spread of Ebola in West Africa

Irish Aid sponsored public awareness campaign about Ebola Virus, Sierra Leone. Photo: Architectural Field Office.

Minister of State for Development, Trade Promotion and North South Co-operation, Sean Sherlock, TD, today expressed his increasing concern at the continued spread of Ebola in West Africa and announced additional funding to help combat the disease.

Announcing the funding, Minister Sherlock said:

"The continued spread of Ebola is extremely worrying and is having a devastating impact on already vulnerable communities across Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea.

"Today Ireland is providing an additional €120,000 to help contain the spread of the virus - this brings to €350,000 the total direct funding provided by Ireland in response to the outbreak in West Africa.

"This funding is being provided to Irish Aid partners Goal and World Vision Ireland, to support their community-based programmes which will raise awareness of the transmission and prevention of the disease and to assist in its containment."

Minister Sherlock also called for a strong international response to the crisis:

"I call on the international community to further support these efforts in a coordinated manner through the allocation of more human and financial resources to support these countries.

"The Embassy of Ireland in Freetown is continuing to monitor and report on the situation and is engaged in extensive coordination efforts with other Governments and international partners including the UN, EU, and NGOs."

ENDS
Press Office
6 August 2014

Notes to Editor:

• Ireland has provided a total of €350,000 to support response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and Liberia which includes; Concern (€85,100), Goal (€80,000), World Vision Ireland (€40,000), International Rescue Committee (€100,000), Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Liberia (€44,350).

• Sierra Leone is a Key Partner Country for Ireland.

• In Liberia, a key focus of our programme is to strengthen the country’s health systems and basic primary health care services. Bilateral overseas development aid to Liberia from Ireland in 2013 was €7.25 million. The largest proportion of our funding (€4 million) in 2013 was channelled through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s Health Sector Pool Fund.

• Bilateral overseas development aid to Sierra Leone from Ireland in 2013 was €8.4 million. Over €2 million was spent on health/nutrition projects.

• Travel advice can be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.