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Russia assists Africa in improving healthcare because diseases know no borders - Putin

According to the president, a microbiology and epidemiology research center is now operating in Guinea with Russia's assistance

MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Russia is helping African nations to enhance their healthcare, because infections spread without regard for state borders, Russian President Vladimir Putin told TASS in an interview in the run-up to the Russia-Africa summit.

"We also provide assistance to our African friends in healthcare development, as dangerous communicable diseases respect no borders," the Russian leader stressed.

Putin said that Russia was among the first countries to react to the recent Ebola fever outbreak in Africa, allocating $60 million to fight the dangerous disease.

According to the president, a microbiology and epidemiology research center is now operating in Guinea with Russia's assistance.

"Russia contributed $20 million to the World Bank program to implement the global malaria control initiative," Putin noted, citing another example, and he added that plenty of similar cases exist.