The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) stated that $1.4 billion is needed for the Ebola outbreak response and preparedness plan in Africa. The confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda have reached 1,138, with 293 deaths. Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya emphasized the crucial need for funding during an online press briefing to address both humanitarian and health aspects of the response.
Recalling pledges totaling $910 million for Ebola-specific aid made by African states and partners, Kaseya highlighted that only 13% of the pledged amount has been disbursed to affected countries and response partners. He stressed the importance of early financing as a cost-effective public health investment and urged the immediate release of pledged funds to prevent the outbreak from escalating into a wider regional crisis, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The Africa CDC initially requested $319 million for crisis response when the outbreak was declared by the DRC on May 15. With the outbreak’s expansion, the funding requirement was raised to $518 million by the Africa CDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist African countries and operational partners in preparedness, detection, and response efforts against the virus.
