UN Secretary-General calls for $1.1 billion to fight DRC Ebola outbreak

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued an urgent appeal for $1.1 billion to combat the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The current $2.1 billion humanitarian response plan is only 48 percent funded, and Guterres warned that existing resources may only last for weeks.

The outbreak is described as the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record and the largest in the history of the DRC. As of August 25, there have been 5,713 confirmed cases and 2,744 deaths, with approximately 500 new cases reported weekly. Guterres noted that the crisis is expanding across a vast area, disproportionately affecting women and children.

Beyond the medical emergency, Guterres highlighted a lack of international political focus and resources, referring to it as a ‘virus of indifference.’ He emphasized that without immediate additional funding, vital operations will be forced to scale back at the exact moment they need to expand to contain the transmission.