Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), a foremost financial institution in Africa, has donated N40 million to Swiss Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders towards the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) intervention strategy in West Africa.

The response to Ebola outbreak by Swiss Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders started in early 2014 with the establishment of Ebola case management centres (CMCs), provision of beds in isolation and transit centres, proper disposal of dead bodies and provision of medical personnel and supplies. After a few months of properly executed intervention measures by these organisations, there is remarkable gradual decline in the outbreak. However, more actions is required to combat further outbreak as well as effective implementation of World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Roadmap against Ebola.

GTBank said in a statement issued in Lagos that the donation is to support the dispatch of trained personnel, creation of mobile laboratories to improve diagnostics, setting up of more Ebola case management facilities in remote areas, creation of regional network of field hospitals to treat medical personnel and addressing the collapse of state infrastructure, which has left people in many parts of West Africa without access to basic healthcare.

Segun Agbaje, GTBank Managing Director and CEO, said in the statement that the bank will continue to lead the way as a responsive and socially responsible corporate organisation in line with its strategic Corporate Socially Responsibility (CSR) objectives.

His words: “We are convinced that these funds will, among other things, better equip volunteers and medical practitioners in the forefront of combating further outbreak of Ebola and saving more lives.

“Guaranty Trust Bank plc, has put in place some precautionary measures to safeguard its customers and business communities to contain the outbreak by providing infra-red thermometers which are used to check all persons before they visit our branches and by ensuring that hand sanitizers are always available at all office floors and entry points of the bank.”

GTBank is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined CSR strategy since its inception in 1990 and presently operates from over 200 offices in Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and the United Kingdom.

The bank actively supports numerous programmes across Africa that positively affects Infants and Maternal Healthcare, Education, the Art, Community Development and the Environment.

•Photo shows GTBank MD/CEO, Segun Agbaje.