New Ebola outbreak in Congo kills dozens as funds shortfall hampers response
Kasai province outbreak in remote southern Congo grows urgent funding gap as aid groups race to reach vulnerable communities
A deadly new Ebola outbreak in southern Congo has killed dozens as health authorities warn that limited funds and resources threaten the response. Officials say 57 cases and 35 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak was announced on Sept. 4, with a fatality rate above 61%. The epicenter is in Kasai province, a remote region with poor road networks more than 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles) from Kinshasa, the capital.
Health authorities and international partners are warning that financing gaps will hinder containment and patient care. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is appealing for 20 million Swiss francs ($25 million) to help reach about 965,000 people with urgent assistance. IFRC officials say health facilities in the outbreak zone are overwhelmed and lack essential supplies, including clean water, protective equipment, and medicines. The sole treatment center in the Bulape health zone — where most cases have been identified — is already operating at 119% capacity, underscoring the strain on local health workers.
Efforts to mobilize funding have faced an uphill battle. The IFRC notes that it has allocated about 1.75 million Swiss francs ($2.2 million) in emergency funds to the outbreak so far, but much more is needed. Some support has come from the United States in the past, including a robust role in prior Congo Ebola responses, though organizers say specifics are unclear and current U.S. funding appears limited. WHO officials say the international response is currently underfunded; the agency has roughly $2 million in an emergency fund plus about $2.3 million pledged by the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Gavi vaccine alliance, far short of the roughly $20 million the organization estimates it will require to respond over the next three months. A WHO spokesperson warned that without immediate, scaled-up support, gaps in operations will persist and could jeopardize containment efforts and protection for vulnerable communities.
Congolese authorities have estimated that the national response plan for the outbreak could cost about $78 million. Local health leaders say the early stage of the response is already hampered by logistical hurdles, including the need for ambulances to move patients from remote areas to care centers and for more protective equipment, medicines, and vaccines. Jean Paul Mbantshi, chief medical officer of the Bulape health zone, said the operation requires substantial funding to mount an effective response and to prevent the virus from spreading to the wider region.
Vaccination efforts in Kasai province have progressed slowly. According to the WHO, just 1,740 people in three health zones — Bulape, Bulambae, and Mweka — had received vaccines as of Sept. 21. The Bulape zone alone has a population of more than 212,000, based on 2020 United Nations figures. Officials say the vaccination campaign has not moved as quickly as hoped due to logistical challenges, including storage constraints that prevent large-scale vaccine transport, forcing the distribution in small batches.
Amitié Bukidi, chief medical officer of the Mweka health zone, said the response remains in an early phase, with many cases occurring outside formal health centers. He emphasized the need to expand community outreach and engage local leaders to reach farmers and other hard-to-reach populations, and noted that more mobile resources would help. “We would like to expand our community outreach, especially by raising awareness among opinion leaders, to reach farmers who are hardest to reach,” he said, adding that motorcycles would help teams access remote areas. “The need is still very great. If USAID were to be involved, that would be good.”
The broader health authority response is being weighed against the region’s challenging logistics and limited funding. Officials stress that rapid, well-funded action is essential to prevent further spread and to bring care to patients while protecting frontline workers and communities at risk.
Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal. The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.