The African Union seeks to raise at least $35 million from leading investors in Africa to aid communities affected by Ebola build public health systems in West Africa.

The AU, meeting in Addis Ababa, has launched efforts to  raise resources to support governments in West Africa that have been hard hit by the Ebola outbreak.

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The leading investors invited to a fundraising event in Addis Ababa includes Aliko Dangote, the chairman of Dangote Group in Nigeria, Strive Masiyiwa, the chairman of Econet wireless International and Mo Ibrahim, Sudanese-British mobile communications entrepreneur.

The list also includes Bob Collymore Safaricom chief executive officer, Patrice Motsepe, chairman of Johannesburg-based Rainbow Minerals Ltd, South Africa’s MTN Group chief executive officer Sifiso Dabengwa and Sim Tshabalala, chief executive officer of Standard Bank Group Ltd. 

The African Development Bank president Donald Kaberuka is also expected to attend the event. 

AU is targeting financial support to pay for urgently needed medical supplies, salaries for medical staff and other vital materials to stabilise the health system and also help communities cope with financial hardship caused by the epidemic.

“The idea was to take the top cream of the business community and chief executives in Africa. Maybe, some of them will donate equipment and some of them will put structures there about because it is not only containing this crisis but also prepare these countries for the future,” Dr Anthony Maruping, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs told The EastAfrican.

“We have to make sure that these countries are helped to react better for the future which has not been the case now — in terms of human resource capacity, infrastructure and systems,” Dr Maruping said.

Among African entrepreneurs, Mr Dangote has pledged to support Liberia with medical personnel, human and material resources. Earlier, he had pledged $903,759 from the Dangote Foundation for the establishment of a national Ebola emergency operations centre (EOC) at Yaba, Lagos.

Last week, Liquid Telecom Group pledged $250,000 towards preparedness and prevention of Ebola in Rwanda.

The AfDB’s contribution — currently at over $ 220 million — includes supporting the international response, budgetary support for the deployment of health workers from across Africa and the diaspora as well as supporting the health systems in the most affected countries.

“The argument for the private sector especially the big ones that are investing in iron ore, rubber industries — this is the time to go in and show your social responsibility because if you are trying to prepare this place to provide you profit — you may as well invest in them now during the time of difficulty,” said Steve Kayizzi-Mugerwa, the African Development Bank acting chief economist and vice-president.

According to the World Health Organisation, the current outbreak in West Africa, where the first cases were noted in March, is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976.

The most severely affected countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have weak health systems, which lack lacking human and infrastructural resources. The three countries recently emerged from long periods of conflict and instability.

“The target going forward is putting in place structures, capacity and systems to also have a ready and quick response at all times like we do on the conflict side.  It should be the same for epidemics,” Dr Maruping said.

While the AU has mobilised 2,000 health workers from the African, the United Nations says at least 5,000 additional health workers are still required in West Africa.

“The private sector is not an easily homogeneous unit and especially not across geographic boundaries. In this instance, the AU is showing enlightened leadership in galvanising what can be a very effective coalition,” Safaricom chief executive officer Bob Collymore, who will be attending the event said.