International Monetary Fund will give $130 million in Ebola aid
The International Monetary Fund announced Friday that it will give $130 million of emergency aid to Ebola-stricken countries, including Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
The Washington-based group said the money will cover "the immediate balance of payments and budget needs" for the three countries, The Associated Press reports, but that other donors need to provide money to stop the disease as well. Of the announced $130 million, $49 million will go to Liberia, $41 million will go to Guinea, and $40 million will go to Sierra Leone. The IMF estimates that the three countries need at least $170 million beyond its pledge to stop the current outbreak.
Christine Lagarde, head of the IMF, told AP that IMF is "working hard with the authorities of the affected countries and their development partners to ensure that the outbreak is quickly brought under control and to assist the economic rebuilding that must follow."
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The IMF's announcement comes as President Barack Obama declared the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa a "global priority," according to AP. Last week, the U.S. announced it would send 3,000 military personnel to West Africa to stop Ebola's spread.
More than 6,500 people are believed to have been infected with Ebola during the current outbreak, AP reports, and roughly half of those infected have died from the disease.
