Havana, October 22 (RHC) -- Cuba is willing to work with the United States in the fight against Ebola, President Raul Castro said Monday at an extraordinary meeting of countries members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) bloc.

"We believe that we must avoid any politicization of this grave problem that would distract us from the fundamental objective, which is helping confront this epidemic," the Cuban leader said. "Cuba is willing to work shoulder to shoulder with all other countries, including the United States."

On Tuesday, Cuba sent 83 more medical staff to the epicenter of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

The doctors and nurses going to Guinea and Liberia join 165 already in Sierra Leone —- making this island of 11 million people one of the largest global contributors of medical workers to the fight against Ebola.

All men, most of the volunteers have at least 20 years of experience, have completed several missions overseas and are married with children.