The United Kingdom announced more than £50 million ($67.56 million) in additional funding to support efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where confirmed cases have surpassed 6,000 in the country’s largest-ever epidemic.
The latest contribution brings Britain’s total support for the Ebola response in Congo to £78 million after the government previously allocated up to £20 million in May.
Funding to Support Ebola Containment Efforts
The new funding will help strengthen disease surveillance, support frontline healthcare workers, improve access to treatment, enhance infection prevention and control measures, expand community outreach programs and assist with safe burial efforts.
British public health experts have also been deployed to Congo to provide additional support as authorities work to slow the spread of the outbreak.
“As the outbreak intensifies, we are accelerating our response to match the pace and scale of the challenge,” said Britain’s Minister for Africa Kirsty McNeill.
Largest Ebola Outbreak in Congo
The current epidemic is the second-largest and fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record. It has been linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
The outbreak has created significant challenges for health authorities, requiring expanded monitoring, rapid response efforts and increased medical support to affected communities.
International Support for Ebola Response
Britain’s additional funding forms part of broader international efforts to assist Congo in managing the crisis and limiting further transmission of the virus.
Health officials continue to focus on early detection, infection control and community engagement as key measures to contain the outbreak.
