GOMA, Congo (AP) — As a deadly new Ebola outbreak kills dozens in southern Congo, health authorities and organizations are sounding the alarm, warning they lack the funds and resources to mount an effective response to the crisis.
The World Health Organization said Wednesday that 57 cases and 35 deaths have been reported since the outbreak was announced by Congolese authorities on Sept. 4. The fatality rate is over 61%.
It is the first Ebola outbreak in 18 years in Kasai province, a remote part of Congo characterized by its poor road networks. It is located more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nation’s capital of Kinshasa.
“We urgently need our partners and donors to step up and support this lifesaving response to ensure we can contain the outbreak quickly and protect the most vulnerable communities,” said Susan Nzisa Mbalu, head of communications for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Africa, IFRC.
Earlier this week, the IFRC said it is appealing for 20 million Swiss francs ($25 million) to help contain the outbreak and aiming to reach 965,000 people with urgent assistance. It warned that health facilities are overwhelmed and lack the resources to provide care, with clean water and protective equipment running critically low.
According to the IFRC, the only treatment centre in the Bulape health zone, where the epicenter of the outbreak has been declared and the majority of cases are concentrated, is already at 119% capacity.
Health officials are particularly concerned about the impact of U.S. funding cuts, especially since the U.S. has a history of supporting Congo’s past Ebola outbreaks, including a 2021 effort when the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, provided up to $11.5 million to support efforts across Africa.
IFRC’s Nzisa Mbalu said it is still early to fully assess the level of donor support for the Ebola response, adding that the organization has so far allocated 1.75 million swiss francs ($2.2 million) in emergency funds to respond to the outbreak.
Despite the absence of USAID, Mathias Mossoko, the Ebola Response Coordinator in Bulape, said that the U.S. government has provided “some small support,” though he could not provide specific details.
WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told the AP on Thursday that the organization’s only current funding for the outbreak response is a $2 million emergency fund and around $2.3 million from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Gavi vaccine alliance.
That is far below the WHO’s projected cost of around $20 million to respond to the outbreak over the next three months.
“Without immediate support, gaps in operations will persist, jeopardizing efforts to contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable communities,” Jasarevic said.
The Congolese authorities’ current national response plan is estimated at $78 million.
Treating Ebola demands “enormous resources,” even for a single patient, said Jean Paul Mbantshi, the chief medical officer of the Bulape health zone. He said the zone desperately needs ambulances to transport patients from remote areas to the hospital before they become highly contagious. Health workers also require more protective equipment, medicine, and additional vaccines.
“All this costs money, we need more support,” Mbantshi said.
According to the WHO, just 1,740 people in three health zones of Kasai province — Bulape, Bulambae and Mweka — have been vaccinated as of Sept. 21. The Bulape zone alone has a population of more than 212,000, according to 2020 figures from the United Nations.
WHO said the vaccination campaign has not been implemented as fast as desired because of logistical challenges. A lack of storage infrastructure in Bulape, for instance, has forced officials to transport vaccines in small batches, causing delays.
Amitié Bukidi, chief medical officer of the Mweka health zone, said the response is still in the early stages, with the majority of cases occurring outside of health centers.
“We would like to expand our community outreach, especially by raising awareness among opinion leaders, to reach farmers who are hardest to reach,” Bukidi said, adding that his team needs motorcycles to reach remote, hard to access areas.
“The need is still very great,” he said. “If USAID were to be involved, that would be good.”
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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.
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