Australia has announced a $5 million contribution to the global response to the Ebola outbreak in central Africa, following a World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that nations must “move faster” to contain the disease. The outbreak, concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, is caused by a rare variant known as the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines.
Health authorities had not detected the Bundibugyo variant in the region for over a decade, though it previously caused outbreaks in 2007 and 2012. The current outbreak is further complicated by its occurrence in a conflict zone, with the epicentre located in the DRC’s eastern province of Ituri. According to the UNHCR, more than 250,000 people in the DRC are already displaced from neighbouring countries, and the Ebola outbreak is unfolding alongside other health threats such as malaria.
Porous borders, ongoing armed violence, community mistrust, and the collapse of health infrastructure have created significant challenges for health authorities. These factors also mean the true number of cases remains unknown. Australia’s funding will be directed to frontline services through the International Federation of the Red Cross and the WHO, as part of efforts to contain the outbreak.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Australia is committed to “global health security.” International Development Minister Anne Aly emphasised that the contribution would ensure “assistance can reach people quickly,” which is essential in times of crisis. “Australia’s funding will help to save lives, contain the virus and reduce the risk of it spreading further,” Ms Aly said. “Our funding plays an important role in the co-ordinated international response, keeping the global community – including Australians – safe.”
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus this week warned that the Ebola outbreak had a “big head-start” after visiting the epicentre. He noted that the outbreak may have begun as early as January. To date, 344 cases have been confirmed in the DRC, including 60 deaths. Suspected cases have dropped from over 1,000 last week to 116.
