UN releases $60 million emergency fund to fight Ebola outbreak in Congo

The United Nations has allocated up to $60 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to strengthen efforts against the Ebola outbreak in Congo and neighbouring countries, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher announced.

“We need to get ahead of this Ebola outbreak,” Fletcher said in a statement.

Fletcher, who serves as UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said the outbreak presents major challenges because there are currently no licensed vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

He said the response is being carried out in difficult conditions marked by conflict and large-scale population movement. The United Nations is seeking secure access for frontline workers, including in areas controlled by armed groups.

“It is essential that there is no obstruction to our response. We must have access to all routes, air, land and water, across the affected areas,” Fletcher said.

He stressed that containing the outbreak would require rapid and coordinated action at the community level, along with strong communication with governments and effective early warning systems.

Fletcher said additional staff from key UN agencies and partner organisations are being deployed to Congo, Uganda and South Sudan to support the response.

Separately, Norway announced a contribution of 50 million Norwegian kroner, or about $5.39 million, to the World Health Organization’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies.

Norwegian Minister of International Development Aasmund Aukrust said rapid response is critical during disease outbreaks. According to the Norwegian government, the WHO has already released $3.9 million from the fund to support Ebola response operations.

The WHO on Friday revised its Ebola risk assessment to “very high” at the national level, while maintaining a “high” risk regionally and “low” globally.