The deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo threatens tens of thousands of jobs and could cost Africa up to $3.6 billion, the United Nations warned.
The UN Development Programme said the epidemic was “sparking a far-reaching socioeconomic crisis which could push 985,000 more people into poverty”.
“The Ebola crisis also risks eliminating tens of thousands of jobs, disrupting education and healthcare services, and costing African economies up to $3.6 billion if broader regional and global shocks intensify,” UNDP said in a statement on Tuesday.
The poverty shock — which would disproportionately affect women — would primarily impact the DR Congo and its neighbours, notably Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan.
“While the immediate public health threat is severe and requires containment measures such as quarantines, some of the broader restrictions on travel and trade are inadvertently devastating local economies and informal livelihoods,” UNDP warned.
