US Commits Over $112m to Ebola Response in DRC, Uganda

The United States Department of State says it has mobilised more than $112 million in bilateral foreign assistance within two weeks to support efforts aimed at containing the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

According to reports gathered by RMNews360, the U.S. government announced the latest Ebola response measures in a media note issued on Thursday by the Office of the Spokesperson.

The State Department said the response is being coordinated closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to contain the outbreak at its source and prevent international spread.

The department stated that a dedicated Ebola information page had also been created to provide Americans with updated travel and outbreak information.

US Expands Regional Ebola Response Efforts

According to the statement, the United States is working with local governments, non-governmental organisations and international agencies to strengthen surveillance, border screening, contact tracing and treatment capacity in affected regions.

The U.S. government said UNICEF and the World Food Programme will expand the procurement and distribution of personal protective equipment and medical supplies for healthcare workers in high-risk areas.

The International Organization for Migration is also expected to intensify health screening at airports and key border crossings while improving surveillance systems and public awareness campaigns.

In addition, Interchurch Medical Assistance World Health, World Vision and UNICEF will scale up contact tracing and community-based surveillance to identify people potentially exposed to the virus.

The statement added that FHI 360 would support the procurement and distribution of diagnostic test kits while improving transportation systems for laboratory samples.

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Additional Funding Approved for Ebola Clinics

Beyond the $112 million emergency support package, the State Department said it has committed another $50 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to fund up to 50 Ebola response clinics in affected areas.

The department disclosed that response teams have already been deployed to several health facilities in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in the DRC to improve treatment capacity at Ebola centres and transit units.

The U.S. government also announced an additional $300 million contribution through OCHA pooled funds to support broader humanitarian efforts in the DRC and Uganda as authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak.