Japan pledges $3.5 million aid for Ebola response in DRC and Uganda

Japan announced an emergency grant of $3.5 million to help contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The package includes about $500,000 (1.8 billion Ugandan shillings) for Uganda and roughly $3 million (11.3 billion shillings) for the DRC, to be delivered through international organisations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, UNICEF and the World Food Programme.

The DRC outbreak has surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases with 254 deaths, centred in the Ituri province, while Uganda has recorded 20 cases, two deaths and several recoveries. The funding will support frontline medical services, infection‑prevention measures, treatment programmes, water, sanitation and hygiene projects, and logistical assistance to strengthen local response capacities and prevent cross‑border transmission.