Wednesday, September 17, 2014

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Malaysia help fight Ebola, donates medical gloves

Posted: 15 Sep 2014 07:25 PM PDT

PUTRAJAYA: (Bernama) Malaysia is sending 20.9 million pairs of medical gloves to five African nations, which have been badly hit by the deadly Ebola virus.

The Prime Minister's Office, in a statement yesterday, said Malaysia would be shipping off 11 container-loads from Port Klang, each holding 1.9 million pairs of medical rubber gloves, to help fight the disease that had claimed so many lives.

Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will each receive three containers while Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo will receive one each, it said.


Najib (L) in the handing over ceremony to representatives of Ebola-hit countries in Putrajaya on Sept 15, 2014. Among those present to receive the contributions are (from right) Guinea High Commissioner Dr Alpha Diallo, Republic of Congo Ambassador Francios Balumuene and Negeria's High Commissioner Bello Shehu Ringim. BERNAMA
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak handed over the medical supplies to Nigeria's High Commissioner Bello Sheuhu Ringim, Republic of Congo Ambassador Francios Balumuene and Guinea High Commissioner Dr Aloha Diallo. Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin and Advisor in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis.

Balumuene thanked Malaysia for the humanitarian gesture in donating medical gloves."This gestures goes a long way in helping the affected countries," he said.

"Malaysia is making this vital contribution to help fight against this contagious haemorrhagic fever called Ebola. We hope this contribution will help prevent the spread of this deadly disease," said Najib, adding he is saddened that 4,453 people had suffered from the Ebola virus, including 2,263 deaths.

A total of 13 glove-making companies have contributed to this cause, including the world's biggest Top Glove Corp Bhd. These companies sourced natural rubber latex from four plantation giants; namely IOI Corp Bhd, Sime Darby Bhd, Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd and Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd.

Top Glove Corp chairman Tan Sri Lim Wee Chai said the RM1.8 million worth of much needed medical gloves will reach the respective health ministries of the affected countries, in six weeks.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) laud Corporate Malaysia's humanitarian initiative in such times of dire need. "It reflects caring relations and co-operation between Malaysia with all five West African countries," it said.

West Africa has been hit by the Ebola outbreak in the past six months. It started out from the south-eastern part of the Republic of Guinea and became a widespread epidemic in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Nigeria and more recently, Republic of Congo.

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