US will nearly double financial commitment to Ebola response
The U.S. State Department has pledged an additional $242 million to combat the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This brings the total U.S. financial commitment to $512 million as aid officials warn that the epidemic is spreading faster than previous outbreaks.
Why it matters
The funding is critical to addressing a major public health crisis that has been exacerbated by regional conflict and gaps in medical infrastructure.
Aug 5 (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department on Wednesday nearly doubled its financial commitment to the Ebola response in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, announcing plans to provide an additional $242 million to combat the second-largest outbreak of the disease in history.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told reporters that the money would fund up to six months of activity and bring the total amount of direct U.S. assistance to $512 million.
Aid officials have described the outbreak as the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic ever due to its delayed detection, surveillance system gaps, armed conflict in eastern Congo and the absence of vaccines and treatments for the strain of the virus that is circulating.
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