The Government of Japan has decided to extend emergency aid to Ebola-effected countries worth $22 million (approximately 2.4 billion yen) through the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other international organisations in order to respond to the Ebola outbreak in West African countries.
The Ebola outbreak, which was initially reported in the Republic of Guinea this past March, quickly spread to the neighbouring countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone. As of 28 September, 7,177 persons had been confirmed infected in the three countries plus Nigeria, with 3,338 fatalities. The diseases is spreading to rapidly that further measures are required to bring it under control.
In light of this situation, the United Nations issued an appeal for an exceptional international response to Ebola outbreak in West Africa on September 16. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution, Res. 2177(2014) calling for support by UN member states in responding to the spread of the disease. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to set up the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), which was adopted by consensus on 19 September.
On 25 September, the High-Level Meeting on Response to the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak was convened in New York by UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
expressed his government’s intention to contribute an additional $40 million (approximately 4.4 billion yen), while many other UN Member States also announced additional aid.
This emergency aid will be implemented as one part of the above-mentioned $40 million, and along with preventing the spread of infection in affected countries, it will also include the provision
of health and hygiene care to those infected, and will also respond to basic needs by providing food and ensuring means of transport.
Thursday October 09, 2014.
