50 Million Dollars for Ebola Debt Fund by Britain

by Julia Samuel on February 10, 2015 at 2:55 PM

Britain said it would contribute 50 million dollars to a new IMF fund to help West African countries hit by Ebola to service their debts so they can use their own money to help save lives.

The IMF's Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust was launched and is designed to help Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone cope with their debt service payments to the IMF for the next two years.

Ebola Virus Disease

Ebola is caused by a virus via direct contact with body fluids or infected blood. Scientists have identified five types of Ebola or Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus.

The idea is that they can redirect other resources to help fight the outbreak, and to repair their economies and societies. Britain is the first country to pledge cash to the new fund.

British finance minister George Osborne said, "Along with the human tragedy, the virus continues to have a devastating impact on the economies of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. So I am delighted to provide $50 million of critical resources to enable these countries spend less money servicing their debt and more on the public health interventions that will help save lives."

Source: Medindia

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