29 October 2014
South African businessman Patrice Motsepe has donated US$1-million to the fight against Ebola in West Africa.
Motsepe, Founder of the Motsepe Foundation and Executive Chairman and Founder of African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) made the commitment to Guinea a few weeks ago to assist the country with clinical management, social mobilisation, medical coordination and other key mechanisms of controlling the disease.
Guinea, together with Liberia and Sierra Leone, have been worst hit by the epidemic which has claimed over 5 000 lives since March 2014.
“According to the World Health Organisation, Ebola is an epidemic in certain countries in West Africa. However the impact of the disease has potentially far- reaching consequences for West Africa, Africa and the world. It is a global issue which requires the global community to work together and bring an end to the disease’ said Motsepe.
Motsepe called on the African and international business community and the medical fraternity to continue contributing and assisting to fight the disease which has claimed thousands of lives in the latest outbreak.
Western nations and international development banks are the biggest donors do far. According to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) US$493-million has been donated to the fight against Ebola, with donated so far with US$279-million in pledges.
On 8 November, the African Union (AU) will host an African business summit in Addis, Ethiopia to raise funds to fight Ebola.
In September, the South African government launched a R250-million Ebola Fund aimed at corporates. The fund has so far managed to raise R16.5-million in cash and kind. The South African government, on the other hand, has budgeted financial and material support of R32.5-million.
SAinfo reporter
