By Abebech Tamene

ADDIS ABABA

 Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is set to visit the West African countries that were hit hard by the deadly Ebola virus, the African body said.

According to the statement, Dlamini-Zuma will visit Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to get firsthand information on the situation in the  three Ebola- stricken countries.

"She  is  expected  to  meet  with  all  the  heads  of  state  and government of the affected countries to express solidarity and to get an appreciation first hand of the issues on the ground," the release said.

According to the statement, Dlamini-Zuma will be accompanied by Executive Secretary of the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Carlos Lopes and President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Donald Kaberuka.

 In recent months, Ebola – a contagious disease for which there is no known treatment or cure – has killed at least 4,546 people in West Africa, according to the World Health Organization.

The virus has also reared its head in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in other countries outside Africa.

The statement said that Dlamini-Zuma will continue to appeal for more support from the AU member states, pointing out that she wrote to African leaders last week requesting them to provide more medical volunteers to join the fight in the Ebola-affected countries.

“The AU has  deployed  medical  volunteers  to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Deployment to Guinea will follow soon,” the release noted,

www.aa.com.tr/en