Denmark significantly boosts Ebola support

Denmark will donate millions from its humanitarian and development aid resources in an effort to get the Ebola epidemic under control

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Oct 23, 2014

The government will provide an additional 115 million kroner to assist Ebola-stricken countries in west Africa, taking it total donating so far to almost 200 million.

Denmark will send medical personnel, provide a base camp to accommodate international health workers in Sierra Leone, and establish an inter-ministerial task force to co-ordinate all activities.

Saving lives in Africa
"We can help save thousands of lives in west Africa and assist in getting the epidemic under control," the minister for trade and development, Mogens Jensen, said in a press release.

The financial support has been partly taken from the country's humanitarian resources and partly from reprioritised development aid initiatives.

The Emergency Management Agency (Beredskabsstyrelsen) will send 30 million kroner to finance a base camp and training facilities for up to 60 international health workers in Sierra Leone and also support UNICEF's educational work.

The UN and the World Bank will get 30 million kroner each for their emergency interventions in the hardest hit countries.

Another ten million kroner will be provided by the Peace and Stability Emergency Fund on sending Danish healthcare workers into the region, while the World Health Organization will get 4.8 million kroner for its activities in Mali.

Deploying medical personnel and supplies
In addition, the Ministry of Defence has already put aside 10 million kroner to pay for the deployment of a Danish roll on/roll off cargo ship to transport relief supplies.

The ship is expected to soon depart from Denmark to pick up equipment in the Mediterranean and then sail to West Africa.

"I am proud that the Ministry of Defence and the Emergency Management Agency are contributing by sending skilled experts who can help fight the epidemic and save lives," said the minister for defence, Nicolai Wammen, in a press release.

"The ministry will be responsible for the overall management of the deployment, while the experts from the Emergency Management Agency will establish accommodation and training for the health workers."

Recruiting health care wrokers
Denmark will deploy a team of about 25 healthcare workers who will be part of the international operation.

The specifics still need to be clarified, but the Danish medical and laboratory personnel will most likely work under the UK, UN, or US supervision in Ebola treatment facilities and laboratories, either in Sierra Leone or Liberia.

The Ministry of Health, Danske Regioner (Danish Regions) and the Ministry of Defence are currently recruiting civilian healthcare personnel.

The government is setting up an inter-ministerial task force group under the Foreign Ministry that will co-ordinate the overall Danish efforts.