Spain Donates 35K Euros To Prevent Disease Spread

The Spanish International Cooperation Agency announced this week a 35,000-euro (about $50,000) donation to help Costa Rica prevent the spread of illness in the Caribbean region after heavy flooding hit the area at the end of November and early December.

The donation will come via the Pan- American Health Organization to Costa Rica’s Health Ministry.

The Spanish agency said the funds will be used to “prevent problems such as dengue, malaria and pests, as well as ensure the quality of drinking water in homes and sanitary infrastructure,” according to a press release.

Spain joins France, the United States and the Netherlands as the main donors following the latest flooding, which left one person dead, forced more than 5,000 people out of their homes and caused infrastructural damage, primarily in the Caribbean province of Limón.

France donated 50,000 euros (about $72,000) and the United States gave $50,000, and loaned helicopters for evacuation operations. The Dutch pledged engineering expertise to prevent future catastrophic floods.