WHO warns shortage of funds to deal with new Ebola outbreak in Congo

The World Health Organization warned on July 21 that it suffers a severe shortage of funds to deal with a new Ebola outbreak in remote areas of the Congo amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news report by EL Debate.

WHO has warned that the USD1.75 million raised so far will last a few more weeks, noting that the response has been made particularly difficult and costly by the inaccessibility of the affected region.

There have already been 24 deaths in the country since the outbreak was declared on June 1. The outbreak of Ebola in the Congolese province of Equateur occurred just as the second deadliest outbreak of the disease was nearing its end.

WHO director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti said, "the response to Ebola in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is complex, but we must not allow the coronavirus to distract us from responding to other urgent health threats."

"Lack of funds threatens to derail the progress that has been made against the epidemic. The last time an Ebola crisis emerged in Equateur province in 2018, it took two weeks for authorities to start vaccinating the population. In this the inoculation crews were mobilized after four days, "said Moeti.

At least 2,280 people died from Ebola in the nearly two years that the epidemic lasted in eastern Congo until it ended on June 25.

Previous outbreaks in northern Congo were less damaging. The one that occurred in 2018 caused the death of 33 people but was controlled in a few months.