Gates Foundation to spend $50 million to fight Ebola.

By fighting Ebola now, we can make sure it doesn't become endemic in W Africa. Join our CEO @SueDHellmann at #ebolachat at 9:30 am PT
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) September 10, 2014

Bill Gate's foundation has pledged $50 million to fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The foundation announced the pledge on Wednesday and said it would disburse the funds to United Nations agencies and other international organizations working on containing the virus in West Africa, to enable them purchase medical supplies and improve the emergency response in affected countries. The Gates Foundation also said it will provide funding to public and public medical firms that are actively researching new vaccines, treatments and technologies to fight Ebola.

“We are working urgently with our partners to identify the most effective ways to help them save lives now and stop transmission of this deadly disease,” Sue Desmond-Hellmann, the Foundation’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

The foundation will give $5 million to the UN’s World Health Organization, $5 million to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and two $2 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Ebola outbreak, which began in March, has so far infected more than 4,300 people, killing more than half of them. The highest number of casualties has been recorded mostly in Guinea, Senegal and Liberia, but the virus has also spread to Senegal and Nigeria.