Yayasan Gates sumbang AS$50 juta untuk wabak Ebola

LONDON: Yayasan Bill & Melinda Gates berikrar untuk menyumbang AS$50 juta (RM160 juta) bagi membantu langkah kecemasan berhubung wabak Ebola di Afrika Barat, yang sudah meragut hampir 2,300 nyawa.

Yayasan dermawan Amerika Syarikat itu akan mengeluarkan dana dengan segera kepada agensi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) dan pertubuhan antarabangsa lain bagi membantu mereka membeli bekalan dan meningkatkan tindakan kecemasan di negara terbabit.

Ia akan juga bekerjasama dengan rakan mereka di sektor awam dan swasta bagi mempercepatkan pengeluaran ubat, vaksin dan diagnostik yang berkesan untuk merawat pesakit Ebola dan mengelakkan virus itu daripada merebak.

"Kami sedang bekerja dengan rakan kami untuk mengenal pasti cara paling berkesan untuk membantu menyelamatkan nyawa sekarang dan menghentikan penularan penyakit yang membawa maut ini," kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif yayasan berkenaan Sue Desmond-Hellmann.

Data terbaru daripada Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) menunjukkan penularan wabak Ebola, yang bermula Mac lalu, sudah menjangkiti hampir 4,300 orang setakat ini, dan mengorbankan lebih daripada separuh.

Virus terbabit menular di tiga negara - Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone - dan juga kini sudah merebak ke negara jiran di Nigeria dan Senegal. - REUTERS

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Thibaut Courtois signs new five-year deal at Chelsea

• Thibaut Courtois has agreed a new five-year contract at Chelsea
• The 22-year-old revealed last week he was set to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge when he returned from international duty with Belgium
• Courtois has now established himself as Blues' No1 ahead of Petr Cech

Petr Cech's chances of squeezing out Thibaut Courtois suffered another blow on Thursday night when the new Chelsea No 1 signed a five-year contract.

Chelsea have moved swiftly in negotiations with Belgium goalkeeper Courtois after he returned to Stamford Bridge following three years on loan with Atletico Madrid. His new contract, worth about £100,000 a week, confirms that his long-term future is at Chelsea working with Jose Mourinho.

Courtois started the season ahead of Cech and there appears no way back into the team for the popular keeper. Cech was given permission to leave on transfer deadline day but he opted to stay at Chelsea. 

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Jose Mourinho discuss Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois' rivalry 

Thibaut Courtois has pledged his long-term future to Chelsea by signing a new five-year deal with the club

Thibaut Courtois in action for Chelsea earlier this season against Leicester at Stamford Bridge

The Czech keeper, 32, has won three Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea but Mourinho is looking to the long-term future.

Courtois, 22, played in Atletico Madrid’s La Liga-winning team last season and was in the side who lost to rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

He signed his new deal after returning from the international break and will face Swansea at Stamford Bridge on Friday.

Courtois said: ‘I’m very happy with this deal, it’s nice to have signed this new contract for five years. My future was already sorted but it’s nice to know that I am going to be here for another five years. Now I can just concentrate on playing games.’

Courtois has conceded four goals in his opening three games since replacing Cech in goal, including three in the remarkable 6-3 win at Everton on August 30.

Blow: Petr cech has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the return of Courtois

Thibaut Courtois celebrates an Atletico Madrid goal at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League semi-final last season