The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a $518 million six-month plan to combat the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
The funds will support vaccination drives, treatment centres, contact tracing, community engagement, and cross-border surveillance in affected regions.
The WHO warned that rapid funding is critical to prevent further spread of the Bundibugyo strain currently affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday unveiled a $518 million emergency response plan for the next six months to contain the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
The ambitious funding appeal aims to strengthen surveillance, deploy vaccines, set up treatment facilities, and intensify community awareness campaigns in the affected countries, primarily the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as serious and called for immediate international support. “This outbreak demands a robust and well-funded response. We cannot afford to let it escalate,” he said.
The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has already resulted in hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of deaths. The plan also includes protection for healthcare workers, improved laboratory capacity, and measures to prevent cross-border transmission.
The WHO emphasised that the $518 million is essential to bring the outbreak under control and prevent it from becoming a larger regional emergency. Several countries and organisations have already pledged support, but a significant funding gap remains.
This is one of the largest single-disease emergency appeals issued by the WHO in recent times. Global health partners are expected to respond quickly to the call for contributions.
