Nigerian healthcare workers deployed to Liberia and Sierra Leone arrived in the West African nations on Friday to help treat and combat the Ebola crisis there.

Reuters reported that more than 175 doctors, scientists and hygienists are responding to the worst outbreak in history and hoping that they can help prevent any further spread of the deadly disease.

"This is the African spirit you are showing, this is the Nigerian spirit,” Nigeria's ambassador to Liberia, Chigozie Obi-Nnadozie, told dozens of medics who landed there.

BBC noted that the Nigerian medical workers are the first part of a contingent of about 250 specialists who are headed to the countries hardest hit by the virus. Under the African Union promise, 1,000 medical workers are expected to travel to the regions this year and according to Nigerian officials, they are expected to stay for three to six months.

Ebola has killed upwards of 6,000 people, mostly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea since it was first detected several months ago.

Experts said there have been encouraging signs that the outbreak has slowed a bit in the country Guinea.