DRC and Nigeria have also announced plans to respond to AU’s call for member countries to show solidarity in the fight against Ebola.

Several African member states have pledged to send in a number of health workers

Last week, AU appealed to member states to contribute to the Ebola fight, after Liberian officials lamented a lack of solidarity in their struggle to contain the outbreak.

“Ethiopia is going to deploy about 200 volunteer health professionals to Ebola affected countries,” Kessetebirhan Admasu, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, told journalists.

“This is in response to the recent call by African Union.”

The East African country has also pledged over $500,000 to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the three affected countries.

Head of African Union commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, said more than 1,000 volunteer health workers from African countries are expected to arrive in the three West African nations.

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“Several African member states have pledged to send in a number of health workers to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, including DR Congo, which will send around 1,000 workers in three groups,” the head of the Commission told journalists in Sierra León.

“Though we are awaiting other responses, East Africa has responded and pledged more than 600 health workers,” she added.

The latest World Health Organisation figures show nearly 4,900 people have died from Ebola in West Africa, with about 10,000 infections.