- The UN says the Ebola response plan is less than halfway funded.
- More than 5,600 confirmed cases and 2,700 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began.
- The crisis is being driven by a strain of the virus with no approved vaccine or treatment.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed for an additional $1.1 billion to fully fund efforts aimed at containing the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Guterres made the appeal on Thursday, warning that existing resources could run out within weeks as health authorities work to expand operations in communities affected by the deadly virus.
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The overall response plan is estimated to cost $2.1 billion, with the United States already making a major contribution. However, Guterres said the programme remains only 48 per cent funded.
“Without additional funding, vital operations will run out of money, just when they need to expand,” he warned.
According to the UN chief, current funding will last for weeks rather than months, making urgent financial support necessary to sustain and scale up the response.
“That is why I am appealing for the remaining $1.1 billion, recognising that even more will be needed in the future,” Guterres said.
The Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15, has so far resulted in more than 5,600 confirmed cases and over 2,700 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Health authorities say the outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
The epidemic is now regarded as the largest Ebola outbreak in the history of the DRC, surpassing the devastating 2018 to 2020 outbreak that was previously considered the country’s deadliest.
During that earlier outbreak, 2,299 people died out of 3,381 confirmed cases, according to figures from the World Health Organisation based on Congolese data.
Efforts to contain the current outbreak have also been complicated by resistance in some affected communities.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said refusals to undergo testing and other forms of community resistance were hampering surveillance and control activities.
The World Health Organisation said efforts were underway to intensify the response and reach communities where the virus continues to spread.
Meanwhile, the European Union announced on Tuesday that it would provide testing kits valued at 2.5 million euros, approximately $2.9 million, to support the response.
The UN has warned that more international support will be needed to prevent the outbreak from worsening and ensure that health workers can continue lifesaving operations across affected areas.
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