Des Erasmus
South Africa has pledged $2.5 million to support the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, as African and global health agencies race to contain a fast-moving outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday the money would be channelled through the Africa CDC Africa Epidemics Fund and used to strengthen continental coordination, surveillance and laboratory systems.
It would also be used for rapid response deployments, infection prevention and control, cross-border preparedness, and support for affected communities.
The pledge follows a call by African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to African heads of state for stronger continental solidarity and coordinated action against the outbreak.
The Africa CDC said South Africa’s contribution was a demonstration of leadership by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.
“At a time when the continent faces increasing public health threats with significant risks of cross-border transmission, South Africa’s contribution sends a strong and reassuring message that Africa stands united in protecting the lives and well-being of its people,” Africa CDC said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May, saying it did not meet the threshold for a pandemic emergency.
The WHO said the initial outbreak was detected in Ituri Province in eastern DRC, with imported cases confirmed in Kampala, Uganda.
By Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 51 cases had been confirmed in Congo’s Ituri and North Kivu provinces, as well as two in Uganda, with almost 600 suspected cases and suspected deaths under investigation.
There is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for the strain, although early supportive care can improve survival, according to the WHO.
It said it had assessed the risk as high at national and regional levels, but low globally.
South Africa’s pledge adds to an initial $13 million mobilised by the United States for immediate Ebola response efforts in the DRC and Uganda.
The US state department said on Tuesday the money would “bolster each country’s own response, supporting surveillance, laboratory capacity, risk communication, safe burials, entry and exit screening, and clinical case management”.
“The department is preparing to announce additional bilateral funding for both outbreak response and humanitarian assistance, as it continues to gain additional information on the scope of the outbreak,” US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, said.
The Africa CDC said donor partners involved in high-level coordination talks included the US, UK and the European Union.
The Africa CDC declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on 18 May.
