European Commission To Allocate Extra $8.3Mln To DRC To Fight Ebola Outbreak - Statement

European Commission to Allocate Extra $8.3Mln to DRC to Fight Ebola Outbreak - Statement

The European Commission said Monday in a press release that it would allocate additional 7.2 million of euros (about $8.3 million) to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak.

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2018) The European Commission said Monday in a press release that it would allocate additional 7.2 million of Euros (about $8.3 million) to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak.

The most recent Ebola outbreak in the DRC was registered on August 1, mostly hitting the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, and coming just months after the previous outbreak that took place in May and claimed the lives of 33 people.

"The Commission is allocating an additional 7.2 million to strengthen its response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which is not yet under control. Total EU response so far stands at 12.83 million in 2018," the press release read.

The funding will help organizations working in the DRC to deploy extra capacities there, while it will also improve surveillance and ability to register Ebola cases, most importantly, the early ones.

"We need to win the fight against the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo which has claimed, so far, over 150 lives. Overall EU support includes technical expertise, humanitarian air service, research funding and humanitarian assistance. We are working closely with the World Health Organization and the national authorities to fight the disease. We are not letting our guard down and we will continue our support for as long as it takes," Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said, as quoted in the press release.

The European Commission has poured over $180 million into Ebola vaccine development, while it has also allocated over $8 million for Ebola treatments development, and more than $8 million for Ebola diagnostic tests. At the same time, the commission is implementing a cooperation program worth some $178 million, aimed at strengthening the DRC health sector.