China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit three West African countries most affected by the recent Ebola outbreak which claimed more than 10,000 lives.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Wang is scheduled to visit Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea on a three-day trip. He will leave for Africa on Saturday.

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China's contribution to humanitarian efforts in the fight against the Ebola virus in West Africa has been lauded by the international community.

"China has been one of the leading international partners not only for affected countries, but for the African Union since the beginning of the outbreak. China made several donations in kind, and in cash, for medical supplies," said Jeanine Cooper, UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) representative to the African Union (UN).

The Chinese government combated the virus by sending an Emergency Ebola Response team to the most affected countries in West Africa. 

China has donated more than 750 million Yuan ($123 million) to the fight against the virus in 13 African countries since the outbreak began in March 2014. The donation is the largest medical assistance fund China has ever pledged.

"The Chinese also made one of the first international medical donations to the African Union when they deployed medical workers," Cooper said during a Xinhua interview.

At least 480 People's Liberation Army (PLA) medical personnel and thousands of medical workers have been deployed to West Africa to support weak local health care systems overwhelmed by the outbreak. Additionally, a PLA squad was deployed to Liberia this year and they constructed a treatment center for 100 patients.

Last month, China pledged $5 million to support recovery efforts in countries most affected by Ebola through the UN Ebola Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund.

China is Africa's largest trading partner and there are hundreds of major Chinese companies operating in West Africa. China's support for the efforts to end Ebola is a strong sign of China's partnership to Africa.

Although the epidemic is being fought in a concerted campaign by the international community, it is yet to be eradicated. There is currently no licensed Ebola treatment or vaccine. Scientists have struggled to develop a permanent treatment or vaccine for the deadly virus first discovered in 1976.

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Margaret Chan said last week that a new experimental Ebola vaccine could to be a game changer in the fight against the virus.

According to the results of a study published in the Journal Lancet on Friday, a serum tested in Guinea was a 100 percent effective in more than 7,600 people a week after they were vaccinated.

"Indeed, no vaccinated patients developed symptoms more than six days after vaccination, irrespective of whether vaccination was immediate or delayed," the study said.

Although researchers did not record any serious side-effects in the tests, they are yet to confirm how effective the protection is and the effects it will have on children and pregnant women.

The vaccine was developed by the Canadian government and has been licensed to Merck & Co. However, it is yet to be approved by regulators.

"If proven effective, this is going to be a game-changer," she said. "It will change the management of the current outbreak and future outbreaks."

VSV-ZEBOV is one of the two leading vaccines that have been tested and awaiting approval.

TagsChina Ebola Aid, China Ebola Response, African Union (UN), Ebola Affected Countries West Africa, Ebola outbreak