The EU commits 1 million euros in aid against cholera in Haiti and 3 million against Ebola in Uganda

BRUSSELS, Oct. 21 (EUROPE PRESS) –

The European Commission announced this Friday two new pledged aid items to help vulnerable countries deal with serious epidemics, specifically a support of one million euros to contain the cholera outbreak detected in Haiti a month ago and another three million euros to help Uganda to stop the Ebola infections that have been registered in the African country since last September.

On the situation in Uganda, the Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, has said that community services “are exploring all available options to offer additional support”.

Of the three million committed, half will go to support the World Health Organization (WHO) in its coordination and supervision of activities, for example to guarantee “safe and decent” burials for those who died of the virus and to offer the necessary care for those who have survived the disease.

The remaining money will be received by UNICEF for contagion prevention and control measures and by the International Rescue Committee to care for the most vulnerable population in refugee camps.

As for Haiti, the Community Executive wants to contribute to the efforts of humanitarian organizations in the area and help “quickly reactivate the reaction mechanisms and infrastructures” put into practice during the previous epidemic, the commissioner indicated.

These funds will also serve to intensify the supervision of the situation and the care of the sick, as well as to improve coordination and response with the country’s authorities.