By James Amoh Junior
Accra, Aug. 5, GNA – The United States Government has announced an additional US$242 million to strengthen Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and other affected countries.
The new allocation brings the United States’ direct assistance towards combating the outbreak to more than US$512 million.
The funding, announced by the U.S. Department of State in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and regional governments, will support outbreak response, preparedness activities and humanitarian assistance across affected areas.
The Department said the allocation was made in consultation with the U.S. Congress and forms part of a commitment made during the G7 Leaders’ Summit on June 16 to provide up to an additional US$500 million for Ebola response efforts.
It said the funding would enable implementing partners to expand ongoing response activities while complementing wider humanitarian support to countries affected by the outbreak.
The Department said the latest assistance was in addition to US$350 million already committed for humanitarian support in the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda under the United States’ broader US$1.8 billion contribution to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced earlier this year.
It said the Ebola situation in the DRC remained concerning but commended Uganda for taking swift measures to contain the disease and prevent further spread.
The Department described the United States as the largest financial contributor to the international Ebola response and called on other development partners and donors to provide additional resources to support containment efforts.
“The additional funding will enable the United States to continue working with governments, private sector partners and humanitarian implementers to mount a robust and comprehensive response,” the statement said.
The funding package will support key public health interventions, including disease surveillance and detection, patient isolation and treatment, border screening, health facility strengthening and community engagement initiatives to address misinformation and improve public confidence.
The Department said sustained public education and community participation remained critical to reducing transmission of the Ebola virus.
It said previous U.S. support had contributed to the screening of 8.6 million people across affected and at-risk countries and the delivery of risk communication messages to more than one million people.
The assistance had also supported more than 180 health facilities in Ebola-affected areas and contributed to the operation of 12 specialised treatment centres in the DRC for isolating and caring for Ebola patients.
The Department said nearly 300 metric tonnes of essential supplies, including personal protective equipment, water, sanitation and hygiene materials and infection prevention commodities, had been procured and distributed to frontline response teams.
It added that U.S. funding had strengthened diagnostic capacity through support for 11 operational laboratories across the region, improving the ability of health authorities to detect and respond to suspected cases.
As part of measures to protect U.S. citizens, the Department said it continued to operate a 24-hour consular call centre providing security updates and health information to nationals affected by the outbreak.
It said support was also being provided to Americans currently in, or recently returned from, the DRC, including financial assistance to help travellers adjust itineraries, secure temporary accommodation outside the country and return to the United States.
The Department said travel advisories for the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan remained at Level Four – “Do Not Travel”.
It said it continued to coordinate with the CDC, the lead federal agency for the Ebola response, to prevent the virus from reaching the United States.
The United States reiterated its commitment to working with regional governments, international organisations and humanitarian partners to contain the outbreak, strengthen health systems and reduce its humanitarian and socio-economic effects.
It said sustained international cooperation, adequate financing and coordinated public health interventions remained essential to ending the outbreak and preventing future cross-border transmission.
GNA
Reporter: James Amoh Junior
Email: [email protected]
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Photo Credit: Benediction Murhabazi / AFP via Getty Images file