Home / Health / WHO Chief Urges Community Action in Congo Ebola Fight
WHO Chief Urges Community Action in Congo Ebola Fight
30 May
Summary
- WHO chief arrived in DR Congo to coordinate Ebola response efforts.
- Outbreak has seen 1,028 suspected cases, spreading at unprecedented pace.
- WHO faces significant funding shortfall for the Ebola crisis response.
The World Health Organization Director-General has called for communities at the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo's current Ebola outbreak to play a pivotal role in the fight against the disease. His arrival in the country, specifically in Bunia, a hotspot for the outbreak, aimed to foster this community involvement.
As of Friday, Congolese authorities reported 1,028 suspected cases of Ebola. A French aid group warned that this 17th outbreak since 1976 is spreading at an alarming and unprecedented pace, recording more cases sooner than any previous outbreak.
International aid and medical organizations are involved, but the level of support and the number of medical experts on the ground are insufficient. The WHO Director-General also sought more international financial backing, noting that the organization had secured only one-third of the necessary funds to combat the escalating crisis.
