Africa CDC Seeks $1.4 Billion To Stop Ebola Outbreak In Democratic Republic Of Congo And Uganda

Africa CDC said on Thursday that its continental Ebola outbreak response and preparedness plan requires 1.4 billion US dollars as confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda climbed to 1,138 with 293 deaths.

“Africa CDC urges sustained vigilance, solidarity following imported Ebola case in France The diagnosis of an imported Bundibugyo Ebola virus case in France reinforces the vital need to maintain sustained vigilance, strengthen surveillance, and enhance international solidarity, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said”

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Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said during an online press briefing, "1.4 billion dollars is needed for the combined humanitarian and health aspects of the response," and warned that without the money the outbreak would not be stopped.

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Kaseya pointed to earlier Ebola-specific pledges totaling 910 million US dollars announced by African states and key multilateral and bilateral partners, saying only 13 per cent of the pledged amount has been released to affected countries and operational response partners so far.

The Africa CDC said it appealed for 319 million US dollars in financing after the DRC declared the outbreak on May 15, and it said the Africa CDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) increased the financing requirement to 518 million dollars to support African countries and operational partners.

The funding push came as Africa CDC urged sustained vigilance and solidarity following an imported Ebola case in France, involving a health worker who supported the Ebola response in the DRC from May 19 to June 19 before developing mild symptoms.

Africa CDC called for solidarity, increased collaboration, and strengthened cross-border surveillance after a humanitarian health worker who supported the Ebola response in Ituri developed symptoms after arriving in France and was quickly diagnosed.

Africa CDC said the case was caused by the Bundibugyo-type Ebola virus and that the health professional supported the Ebola response in Ituri province from May 19 to June 19, leaving the DRC in good health and meeting travel requirements before developing mild symptoms.

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The agency said, "The risk of Ebola transmission begins after symptoms appear," and it added that laboratory tests confirmed infection with Bundibugyo-type Ebola virus.

Africa CDC said Jean Kaseya met with the DRC’s health minister, the director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and European commissioner for preparedness, crisis management and equality Hadja Lahbib to review the situation, strengthen coordination, and align ongoing public health actions.

In a separate report on the same imported case, the ECDC said the risk of sustained transmission in the EU/EEA is "very low" if underscored by effective measures for early detection, isolation, and treatment of patients.

ECDC urged EU Member States to keep strengthening preparedness after the first imported Ebola case in Europe, saying the risk of sustained transmission within the EU/EEA is "very low" provided that effective measures for early detection, isolation and treatment of patients are in place.

To help national authorities react quickly, ECDC said it developed an essential and practical checklist for national authorities to review internal procedures and strengthen system readiness, and it said healthcare workers and others in direct contact with patients or local communities are more likely to be exposed.

ECDC also reiterated that Ebola is only spread through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of people or animals with the infection and that the virus does not spread through the air and is generally not transmitted by coughing or sneezing.

Beyond Europe’s immediate containment steps, the Africa CDC said the imported case reinforces the need to maintain sustained vigilance, strengthen surveillance, rigorously enforce infection prevention and control measures, and continue to support frontline health workers leading the response.

Africa CDC also urged partners and the international community to reject measures that lack scientific basis, saying such measures include unnecessary restrictions on travel and trade that are slowing the deployment of response teams and the delivery of essential supplies.