Fletcher warned that while Ituri province remains the center of the outbreak, the virus is spreading to other provinces due to conflict and displacement.
Since the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an Ebola outbreak on May 15, The Bundibugyo species has infected more than 1,700 people and killed 600 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.. In neighboring Uganda, authorities have confirmed 20 cases.
The effects of the outbreak are compounded by ongoing conflict, hunger, displacement, poor basic services and limited healthcare in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fletcher said, making this one of the most complex humanitarian crises
“This is more than a public health emergency“, said.
International response
In response to the outbreak, the UN released up to $60 million in May to accelerate the response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, helped prepare neighboring countries for the potential spread of the disease, and worked with local communities to build confidence in the public health response.
The World Health Organization has worked with the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known by its French acronym MONUSCO, to supply medical equipment to affected regions and build isolation and treatment units.
The UN Inter-Agency Standing Committee, made up of the leaders of the world’s largest aid organizations, has activated a system-wide scale-up to control the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the UN has deployed Chief Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis to support disease containment efforts.
“We know how to stop Ebola and we are implementing our strategy“, said.
Calls to action
Despite these efforts, closures and travel restrictions caused by the conflict disrupt humanitarian operations, health services and essential trade without preventing the spread of the disease.
Therefore, all parties must work together to Ensure safe and sustained access to humanitarian and health workers, supplies and response equipment.said Mr. Fletcher.
He called for support for humanitarian assistance programs and investment in preparedness.
The best defense against Ebola, he said, remains surveillance, laboratory testing, referral systems, infection prevention and control, and community engagement. Furthermore, he highlighted the need to adopt locally-led and community-centred approaches to Ebola containment that suit both men and women.
“Any delay will be measured in Ebola deaths and in lives lost due to the broader humanitarian consequences of this outbreak,” Fletcher said.
