Leaders in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia - the three nations most affected by Ebola - urged world leaders to up their support in fighting the outbreak because international outreach has been slow to be felt by residents, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
In Washington D.C., the African leaders pleaded their case at the World Bank. Though no new money was allocated for the countries, the United States and European commissions vowed to employ medical evacuation services for workers in the health care sector who are stationed in the countries, allowing physicians with more experience to serve people in the three African countries.
The countries urgent needs include treatment centers that can hold 1,500 patients, an additional 5,250 health care professionals, 750 doctors, 3,000 nurses and 1,500 staff members. Ambulances are needed as well; 200 of them. People track Ebola-exposed residents by motorcycle, so 200 of those vehicles are also needed. In addition, the countries need five new laboratories to test for Ebola and 200 burial vehicles.
The United States seems to be pitching in to help Africa, even if its not menetarily right now. On Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry pleaded with nations across the world to lend a helping hand to the Ebola crisis in the form of people, money and supplies, CBS News reported.
His comments followed the death of Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian man visiting Dallas who was the first to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States.
The United Nations said that $1 billion is needed to fight the virus, and both Kerry and President Obama have said that other countries have not been vigilant enough in contributing to the fight.
The United States government also said this week that five major airports will be screening West African travelers for Ebola by taking their temperatures and asking them about possible exposure in their countries of origin. This is intended to keep the virus from spreading rapidly across the United States.
