By Tiffany Williams –
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of State announced plans to provide an additional $242 million to support Ebola response and preparedness efforts in Central Africa as health officials continue working to contain the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The announcement was made in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in partnership with the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and other countries in the region. U.S. officials said the trajectory of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains concerning, while commending Uganda for what they described as a swift and decisive response to limit the spread of the virus.
According to the State Department, the additional funding, which is being coordinated with Congress, will support immediate Ebola response efforts and humanitarian assistance related to the outbreak. The funding is aligned with the U.S. government’s commitment made during the G7 Leaders’ Summit on June 16 to provide up to an additional $500 million for Ebola response efforts.
The department said its direct assistance announcements for the outbreak have now exceeded $512 million. Officials added that this is separate from $350 million in humanitarian assistance for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Uganda that was included as part of a broader $1.8 billion assistance package announced on May 14.
The State Department said the United States remains the largest financial contributor to the Ebola response and that the additional funding will support governments, humanitarian organizations and private sector partners responding to the outbreak. U.S. officials also called on other international donors to dedicate additional resources to the response.
The department said protecting American citizens remains its highest priority. Officials said a dedicated 24-hour consular call center continues operating to provide U.S. citizens with real-time security updates and critical health information.
The State Department also said it is assisting Americans who are currently in, or recently traveled to, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including providing financial assistance loans for travelers affected by restrictions who need temporary lodging outside the country before returning to the United States.
The department said its travel advisories for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan remain at Level 4, advising Americans not to travel to those countries.
According to the State Department, funding already provided has supported 8.6 million health screenings across affected and at-risk countries, delivered Ebola risk communication messaging to more than one million people, supported more than 180 health facilities in Ebola-affected areas, contributed to the operation of 12 specialized Ebola treatment facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, distributed nearly 300 metric tons of critical medical and sanitation supplies, and strengthened diagnostic capacity at 11 operational laboratories throughout the region.