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Paidamoyo Chipunza Harare Bureau
THE African Union has requested Zimbabwe to provide at least 20 health professionals to help fight Ebola in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia as government yesterday said there had been an overwhelming response from Zimbabweans volunteering their service.
The AU plans to dispatch 2,000 professionals from its member states to West Africa where Ebola has killed nearly 5,000 people.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Paul Chimedza confirmed the development in an interview with The Herald yesterday.
“The idea and the concept is to go where the fire is and deal with it completely, then we are safe,” he said.
He said this would also assist local health professionals in gaining first hand experience in dealing with the deadly Ebola disease in the event it spreads to Zimbabwe.
He said consultations were still underway but the response from health professionals was overwhelming.
“We have not sent anyone yet and consultations are going on. We were requested to send people there and only those who volunteer will be sent to West Africa. There are lots of people indicating their interest to go there,” said Dr Chimedza.
In a statement yesterday, the AU said following a call by its chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dhlamini-Zuma to all African countries to contribute more health workers towards the fight against Ebola, over 2,000 medical personnel were pledged by member states.
It is not yet clear if Zimbabwe has also made its pledge to the AU and if its professionals are part of the 2,000 volunteers.
The AU has organised a roundtable meeting with African business persons to mobilise resources for the deployment of the volunteers.
“There is much more work to be done, and we welcome the willingness already shown by big businesses on the continent in helping to restore normality to the regions affected, where Ebola has had a major socio-economic impact. The pride of the African continent lies in our commitment to help other Africans,” said Dr Dlamini-Zuma.
The business round table will be held today and will see Zimbabwean tycoon Strive Masiyiwa participating.
Volunteers leave tomorrow.
Since the beginning of the outbreak in December last year, only a few Zimbabwean employed by the World Health Organisation have been to West Africa.
derick.khumalo