The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has the potential to become worst in history,according to the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). During a virtual meeting with African leaders and donors on Tuesday,Director-General Jean Kaseya warned that without urgent action,the outbreak could escalate into crisis costing billions to contain.
As of now,over 800 cases of Bundibugyo strain have been reported,with 192 fatalities. This strain is particularly concerning as there is no proven treatment or vaccine available. The disease, which spreads through body fluids, is rapidly advancing across three provinces in DRC, raising alarms among health officials .
“If we don’t stop the outbreak very soon, it will be worse than what we had in West Africa and eastern DRC,” Kaseya stated,referencing devastating outbreak from 2014 to 2016 that claimed over 11,000 lives across Guinea,Liberia,and Sierra Leone .
Despite an Africa CDC plan to secure $518 million over the next six months, only fraction of that amount has been raised. chair of the African Union noted that contributions have not exceeded $100 million so far. Kaseya emphasized that if funding does not materialize in next four weeks,the financial needs could skyrocket . “If we don’t have it in the next four weeks,we will not ask again for $500 million; we’ll be asking about $1.5 billion. If we delay that,it will be $7.5 billion,” he warned .
Bruno Michon, operations manager for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC),echoed concerns about the outbreak's trajectory . He indicated that the epidemic has not yet peaked and could persist for up to a year. “We are afraid that this could last one year to end this disease,” he said during video conference from eastern Congo.
The response to outbreak faces significant hurdles,including a shortage of treatment centers and community resistance to strict hygiene measures. Health officials have expressed uncertainty about the true scale of the outbreak, more than a month after it was declared. Michon reported that IFRC teams,tasked with community engagement and safe burials,have encountered verbal abuse and threats while attempting to manage the crisis.
Unsafe traditional burial practices,where family members handle the bodies of victims without proper protective equipment, are a major transmission factor . Kaseya pointed out that the Africa CDC is currently only able to trace contacts for 12% of confirmed cases,highlighting a critical gap in understanding the outbreak's magnitude. “This is a major indicator for us. It means we don’t know the magnitude of this outbreak so far,” he stated.
There are also significant shortages of burial teams and personal protective equipment, further complicating the response efforts. In contrast to previous outbreaks,support for the current crisis has been lackluster. A representative from the United States noted that while Washington has been a fast and generous donor,more contributions are needed from other nations .
Countries including South Africa, China,Germany,and France have pledged additional support during meeting,but urgency of the situation remains clear. The Africa CDC's warnings serve as a call to action for the international community to bolster their efforts in combating this escalating health crisis.
