Bangor doctor volunteers to fight Ebola in Sierra Leone

A Gwynedd doctor is flying to Sierra Leone to join Britain's fight against the Ebola virus.

James Lavers, 37, an intensive care registrar at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, will join more than 30 NHS volunteers in Africa.

He will complete a week of training in the capital Freetown before moving to British-built Ebola treatment centres.

Dr Lavers said: "I decided to volunteer because this could be the biggest medical disaster of my lifetime."

He added: "To prevent this from happening and save vast numbers of lives, large scale intervention has to happen now.

"I feel I have the skills to help, so I signed up. As an intensive care registrar I'm used to dealing with very sick people."

The volunteer group deployed by the UK government includes GPs, nurses, clinicians, psychiatrists and consultants in emergency medicine.

They spent nine days at a training centre in York and Dr Lavers is expecting to be in Sierra Leone for five weeks.

"I think we're as prepared as we can be, but it's still going to be a difficult experience", he said.

'Brave volunteers'

Following training and acclimatisation, the group will begin diagnosing and treating people who have contracted the deadly virus.

They will work in treatment centres built by British Army Royal Engineers and funded by the Department for International Development.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "I want to thank the brave NHS volunteers who are heading to Sierra Leone to help in the fight against Ebola.

"They embody the values at the heart of our health service, and their expertise and dedication is second to none."

Volunteers will fly from London to Sierra Leone