The African Development Bank has moved to shore up regional emergency health operations with a $13 million Ebola response package after the outbreak first emerged in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province in mid‑May.
The funding is intended to reinforce national emergency systems in the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan as authorities race to contain the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
The DRC, which remains the epicentre of the outbreak, reported initial cases in Ituri’s Bunia, Rwampara and Mongwalu before infections spread into North Kivu and South Kivu.
Uganda and South Sudan have since confirmed cases linked to cross‑border movement, prompting heightened surveillance and emergency coordination across the region.
AfDB Deputy Director General for Central Africa and DRC country manager, Mohamed Cherif said the bank has decided to reallocate $10 million from its existing DRC portfolio and channel it through the World Health Organisation, while $3 million will be drawn from its Multi‑Country Emergency Assistance Project covering all three affected countries.
“This emergency support reflects the African Development Bank Group’s commitment to supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo and countries in the region in protecting human lives, strengthening the resilience of health systems and preventing the spread of the epidemic,” Cherif said.
The DRC will receive $11 million, with Uganda and South Sudan allocated US$1 million each.
The funds will support early diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, community engagement, public awareness and regional coordination in partnership with national health ministries.
The bank said the intervention forms part of its Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan and aims to halt transmission while reducing mortality and illness in high‑risk areas.
The Bundibugyo strain driving the current infections is considered highly virulent, with no approved vaccine available, increasing pressure on regional authorities to contain its spread.
JN/APA