America increases financial allocations to contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda
NEW YORK, May 28 / WAM / The United States announced the continuation of its rapid and comprehensive response to contain the outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, in coordination with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A statement issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for the US Department of State indicated that the US government continues to work with local governments, non-governmental organizations and international organizations to contain the outbreak of the disease at its source and prevent its international spread.
He stressed that the United States had created a dedicated information page regarding Ebola to facilitate Americans’ access to the latest information related to travel and developments in the outbreak.
He noted that, as part of the United States’ support for the regional response, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program will expand the purchase and distribution of personal protective equipment and medical supplies to protect health sector workers in the affected and high-risk areas.
These organizations and other concerned parties will also work to strengthen health screening procedures at regional entry points, including airports and major land and water crossings, in addition to intensifying community awareness campaigns and improving surveillance systems to monitor, detect and report new infections. These organizations will also expand contact tracing and community surveillance activities to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus and prevent further spread.
The Ministry added that the FHI 360 Foundation will increase the purchase and distribution of laboratory testing tools, in addition to supporting the safe transportation of samples, with the aim of improving the capabilities of detecting infections and identifying new cases.
The US State Department statement confirmed that this new commitment of $80 million raised the total US bilateral aid allocated to respond to the Ebola outbreak to more than $112 million in less than two weeks.
In a related context, the US State Department announced the allocation of an additional $50 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to fund the establishment of up to 50 clinics dedicated to responding to Ebola in the affected areas.
The statement explained that response teams supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have spread to dozens of health facilities in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they are working to strengthen the capabilities of Ebola treatment centers and transit units for infected people in the affected areas.
The statement concluded with the US State Department announcing the provision of about $300 million through the combined OCHA funds to support broader humanitarian efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
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