Jakarta: The Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its partners on Friday introduced an updated 180-day multisectoral response plan aimed at intensifying efforts against the ongoing Ebola outbreak, with an estimated funding requirement of US$1.3 billion. According to Nam News Network, the plan, supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other partners, is intended to serve as an operational roadmap for managing the response over the next six months. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, had reached 6,342 reported cases and 3,072 deaths as of September 2, spreading to 60 health zones across six provinces. Health authorities express concern as a significant number of deaths occur in communities, often among individuals not previously identified as contacts and who had not accessed health facilities before succumbing to the virus. Anne Ancia, acting WHO representative in the DRC, emphasized the u rgency of the situation, stating, "Every case detected too late, every contact missed and every delay in mobilizing resources translates into lives lost," and called for rapid, coordinated action on a larger scale. DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba highlighted the need for efforts beyond the health sector, involving communities, government agencies, partners, and donors. He assured that "The government is fully mobilized to protect every Congolese." The WHO estimates that full implementation of the revised plan would require US$1.3 billion. Damien Mama, United Nations resident coordinator in the DRC, stressed the importance of integrating the Ebola response into the broader humanitarian effort and ensuring it is supported by sufficient, flexible, and predictable funding. The Africa CDC pledged continued support for national response efforts, focusing on resource mobilization, partner coordination, and community involvement. The current outbreak, officially declared in May, is noted as the fastest-growing Ebo la outbreak recorded in the DRC to date.
