The People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) is sending military medical teams consisting of a total of 260 soldiers to West Africa to help in the fight against Ebola.

The move marks the first time China has sent its military overseas with the objective of operating and controlling disease-stricken medical centers.

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The majority of soldiers will be sent to Liberia as a PLA medical group of about 160 medical workers will run a hospital located at a stadium in Nonrovia, the capital of Liberia.

The 100-bed medical center, which is s estimated to cost more than $40 million, will not only be fully built and run by Chinese personnel, but it will also reportedly operate as if it were on a PLA battlefield.

In addition, a team of just over 40 medical professionals was sent to Sierra Leone.

There have been a total of eight West African countries affected by the Ebola virus, but Liberia is the highest Ebola-stricken area among the epidemic. The World Health Organization is reporting a total of over 13,000 Ebola cases since the start of the outbreak causing over 5,000 deaths.

According to Vice-Permier Liu Yandong, China has sent as many as 260 soldiers with medical expertise to West Africa on Friday. But that number is likely to reach over 400 within the next couple weeks and could continue to grow to over 1,000 sometime soon.

In addition to providing treatment for Ebola-affected patients, China will also provide funds, food, and materials, such as protective clothing and gauze masks to heavily Ebola-affected areas in West Africa.

Liu also mentioned that China's experience with the SARS disease in the past could be helpful.

"I hope the medical workers and experts can bring China's experience gained through our fight against major epidemics such as SARS to those countries," he said.

TagsArmy medics, Chinese People's Liberation Army, Ebola outbreak, West Africa, Sierra Leone