The United Nations is warning that the world must move faster in the fight against the ongoing deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as insecurity and displacement complicate efforts to contain the virus.
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher said Thursday that the outbreak, which started in Ituri province, is spreading beyond the initial hotspot as conflict forces communities to move and disrupts access to healthcare.
More than 1,700 people have been infected and about 600 have died since the DRC declared the outbreak on May 15. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, with neighbouring Uganda also confirming 20 cases.
Fletcher said the crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader humanitarian emergency, with millions affected by violence, hunger, displacement and weakened health systems.
“This is more than a public health emergency,” he said. The UN has committed up to $60 million to accelerate the response, support neighbouring countries at risk and strengthen community engagement to improve trust in prevention and treatment efforts.
The World Health Organization, working with the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, has helped deliver medical supplies and support the creation of isolation and treatment facilities. A senior Ebola coordinator has also been deployed to reinforce containment efforts.
However, aid agencies say insecurity continues to hamper operations, limiting access for health workers and delaying the delivery of critical supplies.
Fletcher urged all parties to allow safe and sustained humanitarian access, warning that delays could cost more lives. He said the most effective tools against Ebola remain early detection, laboratory testing, infection prevention, treatment referrals and community-led response efforts.
“Any delay will be measured in Ebola deaths and in lives lost to the wider humanitarian consequences of this outbreak,” he warned.
By: Ntaryike Divine Jr
