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China will reportedly invest into a highway alongside the coast of Liberia to help the country recover from its deadly Ebola outbreak which has killed nearly 5,000.
According to an announcement the Liberia’s foreign minister, the deal was made during the current tour of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the three Western African countries which were at the center of the outbreak. The Chinese government will also help in the construction of a new ministerial complex in the capital of Monrovia.
Both of the constructions will be financed from China’s global fund for Africa, from which it is estimated that it invested the equivalent of over $75 billion in the black continent. Little specifics about China’s funding to Africa are known though, as its aid programs are kept as state secrets.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has reacted to the announcement by saying that China’s investment is welcome and praised the good state of the relation between the two countries, while also pointing out the crucial role that China played in helping the fight against the deadly virus.
“We are pleased that you visiting us at the time we are embarking on the recovery process from the Ebola Virus. Your visit will provide you the opportunity to see firsthand the process we have made as a country in our pro Ebola recovery process” President Sirleaf said at the press conference.
Over 10,000 cases of Ebola were reported in Liberia since the outbreak started in late 2013, and it has the highest death count of all affected countries, number 4,808 victims as of date. The disease has been nearly wiped out from the country, but three isolated cases have surfaced in the last two months, with authorities being concerned that the virus could still be transmitted through dog meat.
In total, more than 11,300 people have been killed in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone since the largest outbreak of the virus in history started. However, there have also been over 13,000 survivors of the disease, a number which surprised health specialist as the disease was known to have a high fatality rate of between 60 and 70 per cent in previous outbreaks. The rate at which the disease spreads has significantly diminished in the last months, which the three countries suffering mostly isolated cases.
A recent report of the World Health Organization showed that a good chunk of over 13,000 Ebola survivors are now afflicted with secondary conditions, such as eye inflamation or even blindness.
Image Source: Front Page Africa
