Interview: UN hails China's "tremendous" help in battling Ebola

A senior UN Official has lauded China for playing an "instrumental" and "tremendous" role in the fight against Ebola in the three most-affected west African countries.

Fatoumata Lejeune-Kaba, spokeswoman of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, said China's contribution had been "the most sustained campaign and assistance" in the battle.

"The Chinese contribution has been very instrumental because they came in not only with funding but they also sent medical personnel," she told Xinhua in an interview in Ghana's capital Accra.

"The Ebola virus was growing exponentially; transmission was high and, at the time, what was needed was to send personnel, and China did that. So that is a tremendous contribution," she said.

China has been standing shoulder to shoulder with Africa in the fight against Ebola, supporting western African people in fighting Ebola both materially and morally.

China has carried out its largest aid program in the health area since the Ebola outbreak, providing several rounds of humanitarian aid with a combined value of more than 120 million U. S. dollars and sending hundreds of medical workers to the African frontline.

Beijing has offered another 10 million dollars in cash to international organizations as part of the global collective efforts in subduing the fatal virus.

In addition to sending equipment and protective equipment and ambulances to these countries, China also built Ebola treatment units for local people.

"In Liberia where we had the worst situation at some point, for example, they have built Ebola treatment unit that is still there. In Sierra Leone, they have sent personnel. In Guinea, we have Chinese hospitals. They have been working very quickly. So the Chinese contribution has been really helpful," the UN official said.

She hoped China would continue to help Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone reinforce their healthcare system since China has a tradition and history of working in the region.

Ebola, one of the deadliest viruses known to man, is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person showing symptoms such as fever or vomiting.

People caring for the sick or handling corpses are at the highest risk, and the disease is best contained by limiting exposure through patient isolation and safe burials.

Latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) showed nearly 9,000 people have died of the epidemic, however, it also admitted that it was impossible to give a precise number as the outcomes of some cases remained unknown. Endi