DR Congo: U.N. releases USD40 mln to tackle Ebola and other health crises in Congo

The U.N. has released USD40 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to help tackle a new outbreak of Ebola and other health and humanitarian crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a news report by Voice of America.

The re-emergence of Ebola in Mbandaka, in DRC's Equateur province, a week ago has dashed hopes of finally bringing this deadly disease to a timely end.

More than 2,200 people have died since the epidemic started in eastern Ituri, North and South Kivu provinces in August 2018.

Meanwhile, international support for humanitarian operations in Congo has fallen off a cliff. The U.N. hopes of USD40 million to tackle Ebola and other health and humanitarian crises in the country will kickstart a more generous response from donors.

To date, the United Nations has received only 13 percent of this year's 2 billion dollars appeals. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs notes the Democratic Republic of Congo is battling a dangerous mix of health and humanitarian crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, spokesman, Jens Laerke acknowledges the fight against the pandemic is putting economies around the world under enormous financial strain. He said that the fight against the coronavirus cannot be won unless it is won in all countries. He adds the fight against COVID-19 must not be waged at the expense of other critical humanitarian needs.

"The fight against other diseases measles, Ebola; other issues, such as hunger, child malnutrition, and so on will continue unless we also continue to direct funding to those issues. So, we are asking the donors not to make a choice either-or, but to do both, " he said.