Indians in Gambia contribute to Ebola fight

The Indian community in neighbouring Gambia, one of the three countries in West

Africa afflicted by the deadly Ebola virus, has provided 865,000 dalasis ($20,567) to the Gambian government to boost the country's preparatory strategy against the disease, a gesture that has been highly appreciated.

Making the presentation in Banjul, the Gambian capital, Suresh Wadhwani, a leader of the local Indian community, said the token was meant to support the government in its efforts to prevent the spread of the disease to the country. Wadhwani said there was need for more awareness creation in order to alert people on the need to contain the disease.

He expressed the gratitude of the Indian community for the enabling environment that had been created in the country for them to operate freely.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare Omar Sey promised that everything possible would be done by the government to prevent the highly contagious disease from spreading to the country. Sey said: "The Indian community is the first of its kind to support the Gambia government in its bid to prevent the spread of Ebola to the country,"

He added that, "apart from the president of the republic, ministry of tourism, WHO (World Health Organisation), the Indian community is the latest to support the ministry".

Mackie Taal, permanent secretary at the ministry of health and social welfare, described the Ebola disease as one that was deadly and very difficult to contain, adding that, it was therefore necessary that every individual to join in the fight to contain its spread and it was not for the government alone to do so.

"If Ebola gets into any country, it affects businesses, the economy of the country and the human population. What we are seeing now in terms of economic losses is huge and that's why we want it to be contained as soon as possible," Taal said.

(Francis Kokutse can be contacted at fkokutse@gmail.com)