LIBREVILLE, Sept. 25 -- Chinese ambassador to Gabon Sun Jiwen on Wednesday handed over medical materials meant for prevention of Ebola contamination to the Libreville hospital.

The donation had initially been turned back for having passed through Nigeria, a country "banned" by Gabon due to the Ebola outbreak that has claimed some lives.

The Chinese ambassador said the donation was part of China's total aid of 30 million U.S. dollars to African countries affected or threatened by the deadly virus.

Beyond the aid, China has sent doctors to affected countries such as Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, to help in the treatment of patients and fight against further spread of the Ebola epidemic, one of the worst since the discovery of the virus in 1976.

The World Health Organization has said the current Ebola outbreak has claimed nearly 3,000 lives.