Africa-Press. The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that funding commitments to contain the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in Africa have nearly halved.
The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.
In the Congo, 1,077 suspected cases and 246 suspected deaths have been recorded, according to the latest data from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data also showed an increase in confirmed cases in Uganda from seven to eight.
The Director-General, Jean Kaseya, stated in an online press conference that partners of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pledged on Monday to provide nearly $500 million to support efforts to combat the outbreak.
Kaseya, without naming them, said the amount has since dropped to about $290 million after several donors withdrew their support. He added, “People are dying! How is it possible to pledge a certain amount, then call us the next day to say no, it was a mistake?”
He continued, “We know that some major global health institutions have billions of dollars… How is it possible to say: I want you to focus on this development program, and I have the money for that, but I do not have money to combat Ebola?” Kaseya praised the World Bank and the African Development Bank for agreeing to redirect funds to support response efforts during his remarks to reporters.
Health authorities are struggling to contain the accelerating outbreak on the African continent, often facing issues such as a lack of essential supplies.
The outbreak has prompted governments to tighten travel containment measures, with the United States imposing temporary restrictions on travelers who have visited the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days, including green card holders. Kaseya expressed confusion over the travel restrictions imposed on South Sudan, a country that has not recorded any cases or deaths related to Ebola.
He added, “We cannot stop this outbreak without resources… more importantly, we cannot stop it with travel restrictions that Western countries have begun to impose on African nations.” Ebola is a serious and often deadly disease that spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects.
