Interview: Sierra Leone thanks China for aid in fighting Ebola: FM

Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister has expressed his gratitude to China for its aid and technical assistance in the fight against the Ebola virus in the West African country.

The Chinese government and people took the lead when responding to Sierra Leone's international appeals for help, and China was the first country to aid the Ebola stricken country when the virus began spreading, Samura Kamara told Xinhua in a recent interview in London.

Kamara said China provided a lot of doctors, equipment, money and training to Sierra Leone. "China supports Sierra Leone in every aspect of the fight against Ebola, and I am very grateful."

Since a Chinese mobile laboratory team was dispatched to Sierra Leone in September last year, it has analyzed 4,272 cases of Ebola virus, including 1,416 positive cases with 100 percent accuracy. The Asian country is now building its first permanent laboratory in the West African country.

Kamara said the Ebola epidemic spread rapidly after the first case was discovered in May last year. At that time, one of the major challenges to Sierra Leone was education.

"In the past, a classroom could accommodate 150 students. In order to avoid touching, a classroom only accommodated 50 students after the outbreak of Ebola," said Kamara.

"Some schools were closed for fear of contagion, especially among children, and the first two semesters of the academic 2014-2015 school year have been lost," said Kamara.

The number of Ebola cases in Sierra Leone has gradually declined since it reached a peak in November last year. "The epidemic is under control now, and it has been a long time without any infection," Kamara told Xinhua.

"We can effectively isolate Ebola patients, and I believe that the Ebola virus can be eliminated quickly." he said.

As for the economic situation in Sierra Leone, Kamara said the ten-month epidemic devastated the country's mining, manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

Kamara stressed that infrastructure was not only the biggest challenge to the country's economy, but it is also the major driving force in the next five years.

"Chinese government and enterprises participate actively in infrastructure construction in Sierra Leone over years. They helped us build roads, hospitals," said Kamara.

Although Sierra Leone is facing many health challenges, it has established a good track record in improving its business climate post-outbreak. "The business opportunities we were promoting prior to Ebola still remain as valid and as viable as before," said Kamara.

Looking ahead, Kamara expressed his confidence in the country's economic recovery. "At the moment, because of Ebola, we are back in the single digits, but we will get back up again," said Kamara. Endit