Africa’s top public health agency has approved a $319 million emergency response plan amid fears that a rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa could trigger a wider regional health crisis if containment efforts slow.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the funding will support treatment centres, surveillance operations, laboratory testing, and border screening measures in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda over the next six months.
But officials warned the outbreak is spreading in insecure and resource-poor regions, raising concerns that delays in financing could accelerate cross-border transmission across at least 11 high-risk African countries.
The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare variant for which there is currently no approved vaccine or targeted treatment. Health officials fear the situation could become one of Africa’s most serious Ebola emergencies since the devastating 2014 West Africa epidemic if containment efforts fail.
According to the Africa CDC, nearly $500 million has already been pledged by governments, humanitarian agencies, and international partners, although some commitments are still being verified and aligned with priority interventions.
