Morocco has airlifted nine tons of medical and logistical supplies to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to strengthen its response to the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province.
A Royal Armed Forces C-130H aircraft landed at Bunia airport on Monday, June 22, carrying the cargo for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
According to MONUSCO, the shipment includes medicines, pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment, biomedical supplies and laboratory, diagnostic, disinfection and patient-monitoring equipment. The aid is intended for all MONUSCO personnel, with priority given to reinforcing the Level 2 hospital operated by the Moroccan contingent deployed in Ituri.
A second airlift is scheduled in the coming days to deliver additional equipment along with a specialized Moroccan medical team as part of an air bridge established between Morocco and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
U.N. peacekeepers deployed in Ituri work closely with local communities, authorities and humanitarian organizations. They conduct patrols, secure sensitive areas and support medical teams responding to the Ebola outbreak. Better-equipped personnel will be able to continue carrying out these missions while reducing the risk of becoming a vector for transmitting the disease, MONUSCO said.
