Dutch hospitals told to be ready for Ebola

All Dutch hospitals received a letter from Minister Schippers calling for health care personnel to provide assistance in Ebola areas. "For the coming months there is a need for staff for treatment centers." This is mainly in centers in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The minister writes that the 18 million euro that the government made available to combat the continuing epidemic, is not enough. She asks hospital administrators to bring the request from Doctors Without Borders to the hospital staff's attention. Registration is voluntary. The minister stressed that the government will do everything to make repatriation in the event of infection. Doctors Without Border is pleased that their request is being spread about, but stresses that the call is not meant for everyone. "We are looking for doctors and nurses that meet a very specific profile." Experience with combating infectious diseases is a requirement. "It is a very contagious disease and the safety of our people is of course paramount." Since the start of the outbreak in March, 337 doctors and nurses have been infected. 216 of them have died.