Ebola in the DRC: UN warns of faster spread than response capabilities

Yesterday 16:19

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has raised the alarm over the scale of the Ebola epidemic affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During a press conference held Thursday in New York, the UN chief condemned the growing gap between the virus's progression and the resources mobilized to contain it.

According to data provided by the United Nations, 5,713 cases had been confirmed as of August 25, including 2,744 deaths. Nearly 500 new cases are reportedly being recorded each week, illustrating the rapid spread of this health crisis.

A healthcare situation under severe pressure

António Guterres described an epidemic whose dynamics currently exceed the available response capacities. According to him, international attention and resources dedicated to combating the virus remain insufficient in light of the situation on the ground.

This crisis is particularly concerning in the Ituri province, a region weakened by decades of conflict. The violence has led to the displacement of over one million people, further complicating access to populations and the implementation of health measures.

More broadly, nearly 12 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in the affected region, according to figures presented by the United Nations.

Insufficient funding

To address this situation, the UN has launched a humanitarian response plan estimated at $2.13 billion. At this stage, funding has reached about 48% of the needs, largely thanks to a significant contribution from the United States.

However, the current level of resources raises serious concerns. The available means would only sustain operations for a few weeks, while managing a crisis of such magnitude requires sustained commitment.

In light of this situation, António Guterres has called on international partners and donors to accelerate financial mobilization to fill the remaining gap.

The stakes, according to the UN chief, are to prevent the insufficiency of funding from turning an already major crisis into an even more difficult and costly humanitarian disaster to manage. The response to the epidemic now depends as much on the ability of health teams to act on the ground as on the international community's willingness to provide them with the necessary resources.