Sierra Leone seeks Saudi help in fight against Ebola

The government of Sierra Leone has asked the Kingdom to assist in its fight against Ebola, the deadly disease which has caused the deaths of 1,500 people in the country, Ambassador Alhaji Sillah Kargbo said.
“We sent our request for help to the Saudi government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he told Arab News. He added that Sierra Leone needs medical supplies and the deployment of personnel to handle the situation.
He further said that he was hopeful of a positive response.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Mohamed B. Jalloh, information attaché at the embassy, said that the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called for a meeting recently with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for the possible mobilization of resources to the Ebola-hit nation.
“The IDB has given $300,000 to Sierra Leone for technical assistance to contain the disease,” Jalloh confirmed, adding that it was logical to seek help from the Kingdom as Sierra Leone has been a member of the OIC since 1972.
He noted that even as his government was appealing to the Kingdom for help, a physician infected with the Ebola virus had died at the Nebraska Medical Center after being evacuated from Sierra Leone.
Martin Salia was on dialysis, a ventilator and multiple medications after suffering from kidney and respiratory failure caused by the deadly virus.