World must move faster on Ebola response for DR Congo: UN relief chief - The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting. com United Nations News -
World must move faster on Ebola response for DR Congo: UN relief chief The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting. com United Nations News -
Home»United Nations News»World must move faster on Ebola response for DR Congo: UN relief chiefJuly 13, 2026byUnited Nations© WFP/Arete/Seros Muyisa WFP staff and partners load vehicles at Bunia Airport with supplies to support operations assisting communities affected by the Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province, DR Congo. This article is published in association withUnited Nations. The world must move faster to contain the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN relief chief Tom Fletchersaid on Thursday. Mr. Fletcher warned that while Ituri province remains the centre of the outbreak, the virus is spreading to other provinces due to conflict and displacement. Since the DRC declared theEbolaoutbreak on 15 May,the Bundibugyo species has infected more than 1,700 and killed 600 in the DRC. In neighboring Uganda, authorities have confirmed 20 cases. The effects of the outbreak arecompounded by ongoing conflict, hunger, displacement, weak basic services and limited healthcarein the DRC, Mr. Fletcher said, making this one of the most complex humanitarian crises“This is more than a public health emergency,” he said. International responseTweet URLIn response to the outbreak, the UNreleased up to $60 millionin May to accelerate the response in the DRC, helped prepare neighboring countries for the disease’s possible spread and worked with local communities to build trust in the public health response. The World Health Organizationhas worked withthe UN’s peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known by its French acronymMONUSCO, tosupply medical equipment to affected regions andbuild isolation and treatment units. The UN’s Inter-Agency Standing Committee – which consists of the leaders of the world’s largest aid organizations – has activated a System-Wide Scale-Up to control the disease in the DRC, and the UN has deployed Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis to support disease containment efforts. “We know how to stop Ebola and we’re implementing our strategy,” he said. Calls for actionDespite 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 toensure safe and sustained access for humanitarian and health workers, supplies and response equipment, Mr. Fletcher said. He called for support for humanitarian assistance programmes and investment in preparedness. The best defence against Ebola, he said, remains surveillance, laboratory testing, referral systems, infection prevention and control, and community engagement. He further highlighted the need for locally led, community-centred approaches to Ebola containment that are tailored to both men and women. “Any delay will be measured in Ebola deathsand in lives lost to the wider humanitarian consequences of this outbreak,” Mr. Fletcher said. Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting. comSubscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Filed Under:EUGlobe,United Nations NewsTagged With:Brussels magazine,Brussels news,Critcal TImes,Critical ITmes,Critical Magazine,Critical News,Critical Times,DR Congo,EU magazine,EU News,EU Sting,European Magazine,European News,European Union Magazine,The European Sting,The Sting,World must move faster on Ebola response for DR Congo: UN relief chief