Spahn: Germany to support Ebola control with US $ 3.5 million
16 August 2018. German Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn has invited the international community to support the fight against Ebola quickly and with determination.
The international community may not be cavalier when faced with Ebola. Each outbreak must be met with a swift and decisive response. Therefore, Germany will give 3.5 million US dollars to the World Health Organization to quell the recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The funds will be paid shortly into WHO's Contingency Fund. This move reflects our global responsibility and is sending a signal to those affected: The international community is not abandoning them. Of all donors, Germany has so far contributed the most to WHO's Contingency Fund. I urge the other WHO Member States to follow suit and support the World Health Organization in the fight against Ebola.
The Contingency Fund for Emergencies was launched in response to the devastating 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2015. It serves to finance the initial rapid response essential to save lives on the ground. This last spring already, Germany had contributed five million euros to help WHO control an Ebola outbreak in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This time around, the east of the country is experiencing a fresh outbreak. The region is also the scene of repeated fighting between Congolese security forces and armed groups. This makes outbreak management a complex challenge. So far, 57 Ebola cases (30 confirmed and 27 suspected cases) have been reported; 41 persons have died. The outbreak control plan unveiled by WHO has an overall budget of 43.8 million USD. It will pay for, among other things, patient care and laboratory diagnosis, vaccinations, infection control measures, psychosocial support and campaigns to educate the local population.