The World Bank Group said on Thursday that it will increase its funding support to the three worst Ebola-affected West African countries - Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone - to help them address the emergency and build stronger health systems for the years ahead.
The global institution will increase its financing to these countries by 170 million U.S. dollars. Together with its previously pledged 230 million dollars, the World Band will provide a total of 400 million dollars for these countries.
According to the Group, it will put 230 million dollars to the emergency response, such as increasing health care workforce and purchasing needed supplies, and 170 million dollars for medium- and long-term projects, such as building a stronger health care system.
In a latest analysis conducted by the World Bank, the Group estimated that the Ebola virus would cost a total of 359 million U. S. dollars to these three countries this year. Under the worst scenario, the losses will rise to 809 million dollars next year.