Gates Foundation to spend $50M on Ebola response

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says it will spend $50 million to support emergency response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, in addition to the $10 million the foundation has already committed.

In an announcement today, the Seattle-based foundation said the money will go to the United Nations and international organisations involved in fighting transmission of the virus.

The money will be used to purchase supplies and to develop vaccines, therapies and better diagnostic tools.

The foundation has previously committed more than $10 million on emergency operations, treatment and research.

Gates CEO Sue Desmond-Hellman says the exact ways the new money will be spent is still being discussed. The foundation wants to help stop the outbreak as well as accelerate development of treatments and vaccines.