The Kingdom has pledged to give $35 million in the form of technical assistance to three Ebola-hit countries including Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guienea, according to Al Haji M.B. Jalloh, information attache at the Sierra Leone Embassy in the Saudi capital.

“The assistance was relayed to the president of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Ahmad Mohammed Ali, who in turn informed the embassies of the concerned countries,” he said.

Some 1,700 people have died in Sierra Leone due to the deadly disease.

Expressing his gratitude, Jalloh said: “We are thankful indeed, to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for the assistance which is a big amount by any stretch of the imagination.”

He said that the help had come at the right time when the African countries needed it most adding that the situation in the Ebola-afflicted countries is critical.

He confirmed that the Saudi ban on granting Umrah visas to visitors from these countries remains in place owing to the seriousness of the situation.

Earlier, the government of Sierra Leone had officially asked the Kingdom through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to assist in its fight against Ebola by sending medical supplies and deploy personnel to handle the situation.

The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had also called for a meeting with the IDB for the mobilization of resources for the Ebola-hit nations.

Jalloh added that Saudi Arabia’s kind gesture was evidence of its generosity in helping countries badly in need due to manmade disasters or natural calamities.

He further noted that the Kingdom had previously extended assistance to Sierra Leone in various sectors like education, health and agriculture.