Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

First disaster relief team for Ebola will be sent on December 13

The government will send the first disaster relief team to Sierra Leone on December 13 to cope with the Ebola virus. From the 29th of the same month, these medical personnel will work at the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) in Goderich, near Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs(MOFA), National Defense(MND), and Health & Welfare(MHW) co-announced the dispatch schedule of the disaster relief team in a press release on November 26. The team consists of four doctors and six nurses who were selected by the MHW and MND. The government will dispatch 30 medical personnel, 10 at a time, including the first team. Each dispatch is composed of four doctors and six nurses.

The government will hold a civil-government joint overseas emergency relief conference and make a final decision of detailed issues about dispatching the disaster relief team.

Prior to the dispatch, the government sent an advance party to Sierra Leone and the UK from November 13 to 25 to check out local circumstances, the state of the Ebola infection, working environment for health personnel and activities. The advance party also conducted a conference to discuss assignment of the clinic where our medical staff will work at and coverage from the UK.

By Seok-Jong, Lee < seokjong@dema.mil.kr >
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