Ebola outbreak: UK sending 750 troops to Sierra Leone
Source: BBC
The UK is sending 750 military personnel to Sierra Leone to help deal with the deadly Ebola outbreak, the Ministry of Defence has said.
They will help build a treatment facility in the West African country.
More than 3,400 people have died during the current Ebola outbreak, nearly all of them in West Africa. In Sierra Leone the death toll is at least 678.
Save the Children has reported the rate of infection is increasing in Sierra Leone, with five new cases every hour.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29542129
Man from Pickens
(1,713 posts)Why troops? Unless the plan is to shoot people trying to escape?
southmost
(759 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,414 posts)It's right there in the OP.
The story at the link has more details:
As well as building a treatment facility, the soldiers will also aid the construction of a facility to train healthcare workers.
Man from Pickens
(1,713 posts)would troops be the kind of labor you would use to get the job done?
muriel_volestrangler
(101,414 posts)That's just the kind of thing they're trained for - setting up a field hospital. Plus they are an existing unit you can send in together, rather than trying to assemble one from volunteers.
IcyPeas
(21,955 posts)the united states has done this also.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/world/africa/obama-to-announce-expanded-effort-against-ebola.html?_r=0