UN's Urgent Call to Fight Uganda's Ebola Outbreak Amid U.S. Aid Cuts

The United Nations is seeking $11.2 million for Uganda's Ebola response after U.S. aid reductions strained the health budget. The outbreak, linked to the Sudan strain, has no approved vaccine. The funds aim to contain the virus's spread and mitigate socioeconomic impacts in high-risk areas.

The United Nations has issued an urgent appeal for $11.2 million to bolster Uganda's fight against a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak. The outbreak has already claimed two lives and comes as the nation's health budget faces significant strain due to U.S. foreign aid reductions.

Declared in January after the death of a male nurse in Kampala, this outbreak is associated with the Sudan strain of the virus, which currently lacks an approved vaccine. A second victim, a four-year-old child, also succumbed to the disease, highlighting the need for immediate intervention.

The U.N. aims to deploy the funds from March to May across seven high-risk districts, focusing on containing the outbreak and mitigating its socioeconomic effects. Historical reliance on U.S. aid has left the health sector vulnerable, prompting the international agency to fill operational gaps left by reduced U.S. contributions.

(With inputs from agencies.)