SEOUL, Nov 26 – South Korea was to unveil the results of a field study on Ebola-hit Sierra Leone conducted by its advance team Wednesday as part of its plan to send medical workers there, the foreign ministry said.
The 12-member advance team has returned from Sierra Leone after completing its 10-day field study for a future dispatch of Seoul’s medical personnel.
The foreign, health and defense ministries plan to hold a joint press conference later in the day to explain the outcome of the field study and details about the future dispatch, officials said.
Seoul has joined global efforts to contain the deadly Ebola virus by announcing a plan to send a group of doctors and nurses to the West African country. The fatal virus is estimated to have killed more than 5,400 people since December last year.
Around 10-20 medical personnel, including doctors, nurses and military health workers, are likely to be sent to the clinic run by Britain in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, for about two or three months, officials said.
Seoul has discussed safety measures for Korean medical workers with Britain as well as the wording of a preliminary deal with the British government over their operations. The dispatch is slated for December.
The Korean government is expected to make a final decision over the details of the dispatch at a meeting with civilian experts to likely be held next week, according to officials.
Seoul has said that the team of volunteer medical workers will be picked based on their level of expertise, adding that a higher-than-expected number of medical personnel have applied.
Seoul has so far provided US$5.6 million for the global efforts to fight the Ebola virus.
