June 5, 2026 | 07:45 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Australian government on Thursday, June 4, 2026, committed approximately US$3.6 million (AUD$5 million) to support the global response to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa and prevent the spread of the disease.This was announced by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Minister for International Development Anne Aly in a joint statement.Australia's funding is directed through the International Federation of Red Cross and the World Health Organization (WHO), the statement read."[Australia] will provide vital medical care and supplies, water and sanitation services, support outbreak surveillance and preparedness, and strengthen local health systems," it added.Meanwhile, according to the statement, the UN has released US$60 million to respond the urgent humanitarian needs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, of which Australia contributed US$11 million annually."This funding reflects Australia's commitment to global health security in an increasingly connected world," said Penny Wong, as quoted from the statement.The Ebola outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, affecting the DRC and Uganda while neighboring countries are on alert. According to the WHO, there are 344 confirmed cases of Ebola and 60 deaths in the DRC, and 15 cases and one death in Uganda in the ongoing outbreak.Read: Ebola Had 'Big Head-Start,' WHO Chief Tedros WarnsClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
