UN chief condemns ‘indifference’ as Ebola cases rise in Congo

Key points

• More than 5,600 cases and 2,700 deaths in six affected provinces in Congo since the outbreak began in mid-May
• The World Health Organization (WHO) believes they have slowed the spread, but have not succeeded in reversing the current trend
• Prevention efforts have begun in neighboring Burundi, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

“The challenge is enormous,” he said, noting 500 new cases are reported every week while the humanitarian response is only 48 percent funded.

Estimates suggest that current resources will only last a matter of weeks, not months, as the epidemic spreads faster than the response to contain it.

“We know how to contain it Ebolahow to stop the contagion and how to save lives,” he underlined, “but we also have to overcome another virus: the virus of indifference.”

Watch the UN Secretary General’s press surveillance on UN Web TV:

More funding is needed

“Without additional funding, critical operations will run out of funds in their time of need,” he warned, calling for an additional $1.1 billion.

However, money is only part of the problem. Ebola is spreading in a region where decades of conflict have displaced entire populations and weakened health infrastructure. In Ituri province alone, one million people were forced to flee their homes, and more than 12 million people in the region require humanitarian assistance and protection.

Insecurity also directly hampers emergency response efforts. More than 40 health workers lost their lives while treatment centers and ambulances were attacked. Therefore, humanitarian teams must simultaneously confront the virus and violence while some communities remain difficult to access.

All levels of civil society were mobilized

Local artists and social media influencers are joining the fight against Ebola by raising awareness through their respective media, including renowned Congolese singer and songwriter Lokua Kanza.

National UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Ambassador, Mr. Kanza appealed to the public to implement preventive measures in a videos posted on the agency’s social media accounts.

Duo Wedy and singer Drigo Eboma have also published music calling on people to stop the spread, and 15 influencers – each with more than 100,000 followers – have used their platforms to raise awareness among the younger generation.

Religious leaders are also tackling the case, with more than 50 of them in Ituri province – the epicenter of the outbreak – being briefed on how to prevent the spread and manage rumours.

Likewise, around 30 former combatants received special training from the UN and local partners on prevention measures and detection of suspicious cases before being sent to frequently visited areas in the north of Ituri province to share this important information with local communities.

Preparation for work in Burundi

UN humanitarian agencies and partners continue to support government-led efforts in Burundi to prepare for the potential spread of Ebola in the neighboring country.

Although Burundi has not reported a single confirmed case, the country remains at higher risk due to its proximity to affected areas in Congo and continued movement of people across national borders, UN agencies report.

Several preparedness efforts have been carried out, ranging from strengthening surveillance at entrances through temperature checks and the implementation of thermal scanners to training health service providers, including nurses and public health workers, as well as journalists.

The outbreak in Uganda is declared over

UN health officials and partners on Thursday declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in neighboring Uganda over.

This follows 42 consecutive days without any new confirmed cases since the last patient in the country was discharged from treatment on July 16.

The 42-day benchmark – equivalent to twice the upper limit of Ebola’s incubation period – is an internationally established criterion for determining that an outbreak is over.

During the outbreak, Uganda reported 20 confirmed cases of the disease, including two deaths. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored to stop the spread.

What is the UN doing?

• UN agencies and partners are starting to expand the response by adding 35 safe and dignified burial teams and 286 community-based teams in high-risk areas, with more than 2,500 volunteers and civil protection personnel, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
• Who has deployed more than 260 experts, delivering more than 330 tonnes of critical medical and logistics supplies
• The World Food Program (WFP) continues to do this provide medical assistance and evacuation through the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS)
• The UN migration agency, IOM, launched a regional preparedness plan in June that covered 11 countries and has helped screen more than a million people
• In Burundi, WHO and partners are supporting the national government in updating Ebola response guidelines and strengthening laboratory procedures for safe sample collection and transport, while nearly 30,000 Ebola prevention posters have been distributed in three languages: Kirundi, Swahili and French

Learn more about the UN’s emergency efforts in Congo Here.