The UK government is to match the first £5 million of public donations made to an appeal for the Ebola crisis in West Africa, it has announced.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said doing so will help the first £5m donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal go "twice as far".
The "unprecedented" outbreak "requires a huge global response", she said.
It is the first time the DEC has sought funds over a disease outbreak.
The DEC - a group of 13 UK aid charities - said the public appeal for money is "a sign of how serious the situation has become".
Ebola has killed almost 5,000 people and infected more than 10,000 in West Africa since the start of the year.
DEC appeals are due to be made via all the main UK broadcasters on Thursday.
In its 50-year history, the DEC has launched appeals for humanitarian disasters caused by floods, famines, earthquakes, typhoons and conflicts, but not previously for a disease outbreak.
Ms Greening said the UK government would match the first £5m of donations "pound-for-pound".
"The British people have always shown immense generosity in situations like these, with hundreds of our health workers having already volunteered their services," she added.
Government 'to match £5m Ebola cash'
Put the internet to work for you.
0 comments:
Post a Comment