CUBA SENDING 165 MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO TACKLE EBOLA

Monrovia, Liberia –6 October 2014- The Cuban government is sending 165 health workers to help tackle the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, among them 63 doctors and 102 nurses, epidemiologists, specialists in infection control, intensive care specialists and social mobilization officers, who will travel to Sierra Leone in October and stay for six months.

A statement issued by the Cuban embassy in Addis Ababa says the Cuban Minister of Health of Cuba, Dr. Roberto Morales, explained that all the members of the brigade that will be sent to Sierra Leona, have previously participated in responses to natural disasters or epidemics, as well as medical collaboration missions, with some 23% having joined more than one internationalist effort.

In Africa to date, 76,744 health care providers have offered their services in 39 countries. Currently, 4,048 heath workers, including 2,269 doctors, are collaborating in 32 countries. Cuba is present today in 66 countries, with 50,731 health workers, of whom 64.6% are women and 25, 412 are doctors. WZM

For further information contact

Wynne Musabayana | Deputy Head of Division | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00 | Fax: (251) 11 551 78 44 | E-mail: MusabayanaW@africa-union.org | Web: www.au.int|Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Wurie Bah|| Social Affairs | African Union Commission |Tel: +251115182227| E-mail: Bahw@africa-union.org | Web: www.au.int|Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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