The United States has announced plans to provide an additional $242 million to bolster Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The US State Department said the new allocation will bring its direct Ebola assistance to more than US$512 million, supporting surveillance, detection, treatment, border screening and community engagement across affected areas.
“Today, the Department is announcing that, working with Congress, it intends to provide an additional $242 million in funding for immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the region and humanitarian assistance related to the outbreak,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This additional funding is aligned with the US government’s commitment at the G7 Leader’s Summit on June 16 to provide up to an additional $500 million on Ebola response efforts.”
The funding comes as the trajectory of the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC remains concerning, with cross‑border risks prompting heightened vigilance in Uganda.
The outbreak, one of the region’s most complex in recent years, has strained health systems and required specialised isolation facilities, strengthened laboratory capacity and large‑scale distribution of protective equipment.
US officials commended Uganda for swift action to contain imported cases while warning that misinformation and insecurity continue to hamper response efforts in the DRC.
JN/APA