Britain’s latest Ebola aid flight, carrying lifesaving medicines, landed in Freetown yesterday, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has confirmed.
This was the UK’s tenth aid flight and carried the first batch of medicines, including morphine and antibiotics, from the UK for the 92 bed treatment facility in Kerry Town, which is nearing completion.
The cargo also included a chiller van vital for transporting heat sensitive medicines in temperatures that can reach up to 40°C and five additional 4×4 vehicles needed to ensure that vital stocks can be transported to the 6 treatment centres the UK is building to help defeat Ebola.
Justine Greening said: “The UK has mounted a huge response to the Ebola outbreak, dispatching ten aid flights so far, carrying hundreds of tonnes of supplies for our treatment centres which will care for up to 8,800 patients over 6 months. I have just returned from Freetown where I saw first-hand the scale of the outbreak and the central role that the UK is playing in helping Sierra Leone defeat Ebola.”
Aid supplies delivered so far now include: 58 vehicles including ambulances; 75 water tanks; 3 incinerators for disposing of clothing and other materials; 12 generators; personal protection equipment; radio equipment; lighting sets; chlorine for sanitation; WC facilities; temporary warehouse tents; 14 air conditioning units and isolator equipment.