New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) As Africa grapples with a deadly Ebola outbreak, India on Friday expressed readiness to continue assisting affected countries and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in dealing with the health emergency.

Addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the medical supplies sent to the Africa CDC were handed over by the Indian High Commissioner in Uganda, Upender Singh Rawat, to its office there.

“We have sent medical supplies to the Africa CDC. This was handed over by our High Commissioner in Uganda to the CDC office there. We look forward to further helping in whatever manner we can with the countries and with the Africa CDC in dealing with this public health emergency that has happened on the continent. We will keep you updated as and when we have more developments on that account. But we have sent the first tranche of medical supplies to the Africa CDC,” Jaiswal stated.

Last week India dispatched the first tranche of urgent medical supplies and protective kits to the Africa CDC.

In a post on X, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar expressed India’s commitment to supporting Africa in responding to the emerging Ebola public health emergency.

“India dispatched the first tranche of urgent medical supplies and protective kits to the Africa CDC today. Committed to support Africa in responding to the emerging Ebola public health emergency,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X.

On Wednesday, the Ethiopia-headquartered Africa CDC said in a social media said that the consignment, donated by the Government of India, was received in Uganda by its Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre and to be deployed to affected communities in eastern DR Congo.

The supplies comprise essential diagnostics, therapeutics, infection prevention and control materials, and case management support, the agency said.

“Africa CDC welcomes the arrival of emergency pharmaceutical supplies generously donated by the government and people of India to support the ongoing response to the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the DRC,” the continental public health agency said.

It thanked India for its “continued support and commitment to protecting lives and advancing health security across the continent”.

WHO declared the ongoing Ebola situation in the region a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17.

Ebola often turns into a fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, contaminated materials or infected animals, with symptoms ranging from fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

India has stepped up medical assistance to African countries in recent years, supplying medicines and vaccines, particularly during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

–IANS

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