The World Health Organization (WHO) has received less than 40% of the $115 million it appealed for to combat the Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a WHO official stated Tuesday. The agency is urging international donors not to withdraw support at this critical stage of the epidemic.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, emphasized the need for resources commensurate with the challenges of the outbreak during a press briefing in Geneva. "This is not a burden DRC can be allowed to carry alone," Ihekweazu said, following a visit to Ituri province, one of the hardest-hit areas.
As of Tuesday, government data indicates at least 1,926 people have been infected and 702 have died from the virus. The WHO official noted that the actual number of cases could be double or even more than four times the officially reported figures. The response has reached a critical juncture, requiring intensified efforts to detect and isolate patients, particularly after cases spread to two new provinces this week.
"It's a bit like a marathon. You can't give up after the first lap or the second," Ihekweazu said, likening the ongoing effort to a race that requires sustained commitment.
There is currently no proven treatment or vaccine for the specific strain of Ebola causing this outbreak in Bundibugyo.