The EU has announced it will contribute an additional €30m in Ebola funding to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region is the second deadliest in history, with more than 1,700 deaths to date. The €30m announced today will bring the total allocation of EU Ebola funding to the Democratic Republic of Congo since the outbreak began last year to €47m; with an additional humanitarian aid funding package worth €3.5m distributed to South Sudan and Uganda in June this year to support prevention and treatment of Ebola.
Ebola response teams operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo have encountered challenges in delivering aid and support due to wider factors affecting the volatile sociopolitical situation in the country, including extensive internal conflict and poor healthcare infrastructure. The new tranche of EU Ebola funding to the Democratic Republic of Congo is aimed at addressing immediate and urgent humanitarian needs in the crisis-hit region, with priorities including:
- Provision of food and nutrition support;
- Improving access to clean water and sanitation;
- Provision of essential healthcare services;
- Controlling and preventing the spread of Ebola;
- Providing social support and protection for survivors of the disease and their families; and
- Working in partnership with local communities to promote the prevention of contagion, access to healthcare and safe and dignified burials.
Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management and the EU’s Ebola Co-ordinator, said: “The fight against the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo stands at a crucial juncture. The EU is vastly stepping up its aid to save lives and prevent further infections. We are providing new support to the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organisation, and humanitarian partners on the ground. We also stand in full solidarity with the frontline responders putting their life at risk to tackle the outbreak.”
