DR Congo: Funding cuts led to delayed detection of deadly Ebola outbreak in DRC

Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda Source: International Rescue Committee Suspected Ebola cases have risen sharply from 246 to 500 in just 96 hours across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, representing an increase of 103% over three days. The last two major Ebola outbreaks caused by the Zaire strain, for which a vaccine is available, infected more than 32,000 people and killed over 13,600. Before 2025, US government funding supported IRC frontline health, surveillance, and outbreak preparedness activities across eastern DRC. Major funding cuts beginning in March 2025 led IRC to reduce programming from five to two areas of Ituri; the epicentre of the current outbreak. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 19, 2026 — Weakened disease surveillance systems following severe health funding cuts in eastern DRC are contributing to the rapid escalation of the latest Ebola outbreak, with suspected cases rising from 246 to 500 in just 96 hours, the IRC warns. The outbreak, affecting eastern DRC and Uganda, involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which currently has no licensed vaccine or targeted treatment. Before 2025, the US Government funded a range of IRC frontline health and outbreak preparedness activities across eastern DRC, including treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases, disease surveillance, and the construction and rehabilitation of water, sanitation, and infection prevention and control infrastructure. This included waste management areas, triage zones, handwashing stations, showers, and latrines critical to safely managing infectious disease outbreaks. However, much of this funding ended for NGOs in March 2025. Following these funding cuts, IRC programming has been reduced from five health areas in Ituri province, where this outbreak ...

Original source: Relief Web