UN chief condemns “indifference” as Ebola cases mount in DR Congo
The Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) requires “urgent” action and funding to rein in its alarming spread, the UN Secretary-General told reporters at UN Headquarters on Thursday. “The challenge is immense,” he said, noting 500 new cases are being reported every week while the humanitarian response remains only 48 per cent funded. Estimates show current resources will last only weeks, not months, as the epidemic spreads faster than the response to contain it. “We know how to contain Ebola , how to interrupt transmission and how to save lives,” he underscored, “but we must also overcome another virus: the virus of indifference.” “Without additional funding, vital operations will run out of money at the very moment they need to ramp up,” he warned, calling for an additional $1.1 billion. Money, however, is only part of the problem. Ebola is spreading in a region where decades of conflict have displaced entire populations and weakened health infrastructure.
The text below was supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app. Third-party reporting is attributed in the source panel.
As the deadliest Ebola outbreak in DR Congo’s history continued spreading on Friday, UN responders renewed their urgent appeal for immediate international support, with existing funding for lifesaving work critically low. This follows 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case since the country’s last patient was discharged from care on 16 July.
