Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida
The Japanese Government has released an emergency grant aid of $ 1.5 million (145 million Japanese yen) to help combat the Ebola viral disease outbreak in some West African countries including Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
The grant is being channelled through the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC).
A statement issued by the Japanese Foreign Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday said the Ebola viral disease, which was initially reported in Guinea this March,spread to the neighbouring countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia.
It said as at August 11, 2014,1,975 cases including suspected ones and 1,069 deaths were confirmed, adding that the infection was spreading so rapidly that further immediate countermeasures were required.
It said the Japanese Government already extended emergency grant aid of $ 0.52 million (50.4 million Japanese yen) in response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea this April.
In addition, upon the requests from West African countries, WHO, UNICEF and IFRC, the Government of Japan decided to extend this grant in view of humanitarian needs as well as the friendly relationship between Japan and West African countries, the statement said.
Source: GNA
