Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer Helps Equatorial Guinea In Africa To Fight Cholera

Yesterday, the director of Sheba Medical Center acceded to a request by the president of Equatorial Guinea to help fight the cholera epidemic that has been raging there for more than a month.

So far, more than 2,500 people have been infected, and 27 patients have died of the disease.

Prof. Ze'ev Rotstein, director of Sheba Medical Center, and the Israel Ministry of Health in tandem with the Foreign Office decided to accede to the request of the Guinea government and urgently send out a humanitarian medical aid delegation to the citizens of Equatorial Guinea.

A team of five doctors and nurses, headed by Prof. Eli Schwartz, director of the tropical diseases and travelers medicine services at Sheba Medical Center, will leave for Africa on Wednesday, March the 9th.

The delegation will also take medical equipment with them to treat and bring the epidemic to a halt.

Israel Health Ministry director-general Prof. Avi Yisraeli points out that sending out the delegation was "an important humanitarian act that shows our willingness to offer help, volunteer and assist in disaster stricken regions - characteristic for Israel in general and Sheba in particular."