Africa Urged to Fund Own Health Response

African health officials must increase their own financial contributions to combat the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The agency stressed the continent's chronic dependence on foreign aid for health crises and the necessity of greater self-sufficiency.

The current outbreak, described as the worst at this stage, has resulted in over 200 fatalities from 894 confirmed cases. Response efforts are hampered by the lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the specific virus strain involved, unlike in past outbreaks where a vaccine was available for the more common Zaire virus.

This situation underscores a broader challenge: Africa produces less than 1% of its vaccine needs and a mere 3% of its medicine imports. This dependency leaves millions vulnerable to epidemics, a problem exacerbated by consecutive health shocks like COVID-19. While efforts are underway to boost local manufacturing, a vaccine is not anticipated by year's end.

The Africa CDC head indicated the outbreak's peak is yet to come, citing delays in contact tracing for over 35,000 individuals. To accelerate containment, the agency is intensifying fundraising efforts to deploy more teams. South Africa's President is scheduled to visit affected regions to support this mobilization. A newly established African Epidemic Fund has garnered $80 million in pledges, with a broader donor conference raising $910 million.