The government has decided to send health workers to west Africa to help fight the Ebola outbreak that continues to devastate the region.
The first team of health workers, consisting of 5 doctors, 13 nurses and 1 medical technician – all recruited from the civil healthcare sector by the Defence Ministry – and a team leader from the Defence, are already preparing for deployment.
”Our co-operation partners have wished that Denmark's first team should consist of a maximum of 20 people,” Nicolai Wammen, the defence minister, said in a press release.
”There is little doubt they are some very dedicated people. It's a big decision to go to west Africa to fight Ebola, but also a very important decision. I have the greatest respect for their efforts and will to help people in need.”
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12 weeks away
The Danish group, dubbed Team 1, will merge with an Irish team and then be incorporated into a massive British-led operation.
The Danes began their preparations on November 17 at the Skalstrup air base near Roskilde, where they will obtain the required vaccinations and briefings before they depart to York, England on December 7 to join up with their Irish colleagues.
Team 1 is scheduled to travel to Sierra Leone on December 17 where they will receive additional training pertaining to the local conditions so they are prepared as well as possible to begin their treatment of Ebola patients.
The team will be deployed for a total of 12 weeks, including two to three weeks of preparation time and a three-week observation period upon their return to Denmark.
