China Red Cross Society has donated US$30,000 to its Ugandan counterpart to help contain the Ebola epidemic which broke out in September and has so far killed 63 people in Gulu district in northern Uganda.
"The Chinese government and people show great concern over the epidemic and appreciate very much the painstaking efforts the Ugandan government and Red Cross have made to control the killer disease," said Chinese Ambassador Zhang Xujiang when he handed over the donation to the Uganda Red Cross Wednesday.
On behalf of China Red Cross Society, Zhang expressed the hope that Uganda will contain the epidemic at an earlier date.
Kwesiga K. Robert, secretary general of Uganda Red Cross, thanked China Red Cross for its donation, saying that Uganda is raising funds for badly needed drugs and facilities in Gulu district and China's donation has timely provided it with a help.
Robert said Uganda Red Cross and its Chinese counterpart have long enjoyed friendly cooperation and the donation will further promote the existing friendly relations between the two sides.
The Ebola epidemic has been brought under control and so far 57 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals, according to Ugandan Health Ministry.
It is the first time that the killer disease has stricken the country. The last outbreak of the disease took place in southern Sudan in 1979, and it hit Kikwit, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing over 300 people in 1995.
(Peoples’ Daily 10/26/2000)
