WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Speaking at World Bank's annual spring meetings in Washington, D.C. on Friday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that the 'last mile' on the road to eradicating the Ebola epidemic may be the toughest.
While indicating important progress over recent months in fighting the epidemic, Ban said, 'too many lives have been lost. Families, communities and nations have been devastated. When we reach zero cases, we must maintain our response capacity for at least a year.'
In connection with the event, the World Bank announced a provision of at least $650 million during the next year and a half to help the most-affected countries - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - recover from the social and economic impact of the outbreak. The new pledge brings the World Bank's total financing for Ebola recovery to $1.62 billion.
'Many of us have acknowledged that the international community was slow to react to Ebola. Let's show that we have learned this lesson by supporting an effective and sustainable recovery that also prepares these countries - and the rest of the world - for the next pandemic,' said World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim.
Liberia has only recorded one case of Ebola in the past two months, with the outbreak now believed to have 'shrunk considerably to a narrow belt' along coastal Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Ban stressed 'These efforts must also recognize the fragility of these countries' transitions from past conflicts and instability to sustainable peace and development'.
To this end, the UN Chief said he will convene a high-level pledging conference in New York in July to mobilize resources, financial and technological resources, to help the economic and social recovery in the affected countries.
Latest data from World Health Organization (WHO) show about 25,826 people have been infected and 10,704 have died from the Ebola virus.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX