The United States has announced plans to provide an additional USD 242 million to support Ebola response and preparedness efforts in Central and East Africa….reports Africa Daily News Desk
The United States has announced plans to provide an additional USD 242 million to support Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and neighbouring countries, as the outbreak in the region continues to pose a major public health challenge.
The US Department of State said the funding, which is being provided in coordination with Congress, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and regional governments, will support immediate Ebola response measures as well as humanitarian assistance linked to the outbreak.
The additional assistance fulfils part of the US commitment made at the G7 Leaders’ Summit on June 16 to provide up to USD 500 million for Ebola response efforts. With the latest allocation, the State Department said its direct assistance for combating the outbreak has now exceeded USD 512 million.
The funding comes in addition to USD 350 million in humanitarian assistance for the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda that forms part of a broader USD 1.8 billion package announced for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The State Department said the United States remained the largest financial contributor to the Ebola response and urged other international donors to increase support for efforts to contain the outbreak.
While describing the trajectory of the outbreak in the DRC as concerning, the department commended Uganda for taking swift measures to respond to the outbreak and limit the spread of the virus.
The US government said the latest funding would enable continued cooperation with governments, humanitarian organisations and private-sector partners on surveillance, detection, isolation and treatment of Ebola patients, border screening, strengthening healthcare facilities and community engagement to counter misinformation.
The department also said protecting US citizens remained its highest priority. It continues to operate a dedicated 24-hour consular call centre to provide real-time security updates and health information to Americans affected by the outbreak.
US authorities are assisting citizens currently in, or recently returned from, the DRC, including offering financial assistance loans to help travellers change plans and secure temporary accommodation outside the country before returning to the United States.
The department said US citizens affected by “Do Not Board” restrictions could contact the nearest US embassy or consulate to seek information or financial assistance, with loans repayable upon return to the United States.
The US also maintained its Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisories for the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, urging Americans not to travel to those countries.
According to the State Department, US-funded programmes have so far supported 8.6 million health screenings across affected and at-risk countries, delivered Ebola risk communication messages to more than one million people, supported more than 180 health facilities and the operation of 12 specialised Ebola treatment centres in the DRC.
The assistance has also enabled the procurement and distribution of nearly 300 metric tonnes of essential supplies, including personal protective equipment and infection prevention materials, while strengthening diagnostic capacity across 11 operational laboratories in the region.
