Chinese aid contributes to West Africa's fight against Ebola

Supplies from China are being unloaded from a plane at the airport in Conakry, capital of Guinea, Aug. 11, 2014. (Xinhua/Youssouf Bah)

NAIROBI, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Guinea was last week declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) free of Ebola epidemic which caused some 2,500 deaths in the country.

International aid has played a role in helping Guinea's fight against Ebola, including those from China.

China was the first country to provide aid for Ebola-hit countries after the outbreak of Ebola virus in March 2014.

As of November 2014, China offered humanitarian aid worth 750 million yuan (about 113.77 million dollars) and sent thousands of medical personnel to Ebola-hit countries in four rounds of campaigns.

FIRST ROUND

The first aid Guinea received for fight against Ebola was from China, in March 2014.

"China was the first country to come to Guinea's aid after the outbreak of Ebola, with a financial package of 50,000 U.S. dollars from China Red Cross given to Guinea Red Cross," says Guinea's International Cooperation Minister Koutoubou Sanoh.

During the same period, the Chinese government gave the three countries hit most by Ebola -- Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia -- each medical aid worth one million yuan (151,600 dollars).

SECOND ROUND

In August 2014, China donated humanitarian aid worth 30 million yuan (about 4.55 million dollars) to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia with planes carrying the aid to the three countries the same month.

Also in August, China sent public health experts to provide training in the three countries.

Beatrice Yordoldo (front L), an Ebola patient, receives a certificate after being discharged from a Chinese-run Ebola treatment unit in Monrovia, capital of Liberia, March 5, 2015. She was thought to be the last confirmed Ebola patient when Liberia was declared Ebola-free in May 2015, but later new cases emerged. (Xinhua/Li Bin)

THIRD ROUND

Announced in September 2014, Chinese aid worth 200 million yuan (30.34 million dollars) including remittance, food and other supplies has been given to the three countries. Of the remittance, two million dollars were given each to WHO and the African Union.

FOUTH ROUND

Announced in October 2014, Chinese aid worth 500 million yuan (75.85 million dollars) including remittance and supplies has been given the three countries and international agencies, and a counter-Ebola treatment center set up in Liberia.

OTHER AID FOR GUINEA

In December 2014, China offered medical aid and equipment worth one million dollars to the Sino-Guinea Friendship Hospital which lost 6 doctors who were fighting against Ebola.

During the signing of an 8.5 million dollar loan offered by China to Guinea the same month, Sanoh said in less than a year, Guinea had received about 1 billion dollars from China to fund development projects, besides medical and food aid.

Given the worsening food situation following the Ebola outbreak, China offered food aid valued at 2 million dollars to Guineans.

Yu Yang (R), a health worker of the Beijing Friendship Hospital, kisses his wife at Beijing Capital International Airport before departure for Guinea, Aug. 15, 2014. Yu serves a two-year mission with the Chinese medical team in Guinea. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Sierra Leone was declared free of Ebola in November.

Liberia is expected to announce the end of Ebola on Jan. 14. It twice recorded new cases after it was declared Ebola-free in May and September last year.

A country is declared Ebola-free after 42 days without a single new case since the recovery of the last Ebola patient.

China has announced late last year it would provide a fifth round of aid for Ebola-hit nations.