Introduction
The UK government has committed a package of direct
support of at least £230 million to help contain, control
and treat Ebola in West Africa. The Department is distributing
this money to other departments such as the Ministry of Defence,
international institutions and non-governmental organisations.
The UK package focuses predominantly on Sierra Leone, and includes
support for the construction of treatment facilities, the provision
of over 700 treatment beds, and the training and management of
burial teams. The first UK-constructed treatment centre opened
in November 2014 in Kerry Town, Sierra Leone, and is managed by
Save the Children under contract with the Department.
The World Health Organisation's role is to provide
leadership within the international community on matters critical
to health and to engage in partnerships where joint action is
needed. The international response to the Ebola outbreak also
includes other United Nations agencies, international finance
institutions, NGOs and bilateral donors. At country level, the
governments of the USA, the UK and France are leading this response
in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea respectively.
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