WHO Seeks More Funding As DRC Ebola Outbreak Worsens

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it has received less than half of the funding required to combat the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The agency expressed concern over the continued spread of the disease and urged international donors not to abandon the country at a critical stage of the response effort.

A WHO official said this on Tuesday, urging international donors not to abandon the country at a critical stage of the response effort.

The global health agency said it had received about 40 per cent of the 115 million dollars it appealed for to tackle the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, for which there was currently no proven treatment or vaccine.

Government data show that at least 1,926 people have been infected, while 702 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva after a visit to Ituri Province, the worst-affected area, the head of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the outbreak required stronger international support.

“This outbreak requires resources that match the scale of the challenges that we are facing.
“This is not a burden DRC can be allowed to carry alone.”

Ihekweazu said the response had reached a critical point, with intensified efforts needed to detect, isolate and manage cases following the spread of the virus to two additional provinces.

“It’s a bit like a marathon. You can’t give up after the first lap or the second. You just have to keep pushing even when you’re getting tired and exhausted.”

He reiterated earlier estimates that the actual number of Ebola infections in the DRC was likely significantly higher than official figures, possibly more than double and up to four times the reported tally.

WHO Seeks More Funding As DRC Ebola Outbreak Worsens is first published on The Whistler Newspaper