IRISH soldiers with medical expertise are to be sent to Sierra Leone to help treat health care workers who have become victims of the Ebola crisis in West Africa.
A defence forces medical team travelled to Britain yesterday to begin intensive training at Aldershot
Barracks with a joint inter-agency task force as part of the international response to the deadly virus, which has claimed more than 8,000 lives. The five-strong Irish team is to support the British armed forces treatment unit in Kerry Town in Sierra Leone during a three-month tour of duty that is scheduled to begin on January 15.
Their work will focus on treating local and international health care workers who have been exposed to the virus.
The team includes a military doctor, three medical non-commissioned officers and a medically qualified trooper.
The Irish government last week announced it would provide an additional €778,000 to help efforts tackling the outbreak in Sierra Leone.
Funding will be used to support crisis workers in managing, maintaining and fuelling a fleet of ambulances and burial vehicles in 12 districts.