US Announces $267m Emergency Aid To Tackle Ebola Outbreak In DR Congo

The United States has announced an additional $267 million in emergency assistance to support efforts to contain a worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The US State Department announced the funding on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, saying the latest intervention would strengthen ongoing efforts to control the spread of the deadly disease and provide critical health and humanitarian support.

With the latest commitment, total direct health and humanitarian assistance provided by the United States to the Ebola response has risen to $887 million.

The US government said it remained the largest donor supporting the response, while urging other countries with the capacity to contribute additional resources to increase their financial support.

The appeal comes amid concerns over the continued spread of the outbreak to new areas of the DRC, placing additional pressure on health authorities and humanitarian organisations responding to the crisis.

The United Nations has also raised concerns about funding gaps. Outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres had previously appealed for an additional $1.1 billion to support efforts aimed at containing the epidemic.

Health and humanitarian organisations have warned that the scale of the outbreak requires sustained international cooperation, particularly as health workers confront the challenges of surveillance, treatment, contact tracing and community protection.

Congolese public health authorities say more than 3,600 people have died and about 7,500 others have been infected since the outbreak began in mid-May, making it the country’s worst recorded Ebola epidemic.

The latest US funding is expected to provide additional resources for the emergency response as authorities and international partners intensify efforts to contain transmission and prevent further loss of lives.