The Department of State, in close coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in partnership with the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and other countries in the region, is continuing to mount a rapid and comprehensive response to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC. While the trajectory of the outbreak in the DRC remains concerning, the United States commends Uganda for swift and decisive action to respond to the outbreak and limit the spread of Ebola.
Today, the Department is announcing that, working with Congress, it intends to provide an additional $242 million in funding for immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the region and humanitarian assistance related to the outbreak. This additional funding is aligned with the U.S. government’s commitment at the G7 Leader’s Summit on June 16 to provide up to an additional $500 million on Ebola response efforts. The Department of State’s assistance announcements to combat the outbreak have now exceeded $512 million in direct assistance, enabling implementing organizations to expand the ongoing response in Africa. This is in addition to $350 million for critical humanitarian assistance in the DRC, South Sudan, and Uganda, as part of our $1.8 billion in assistance to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced on May 14.
The United States continues to be the largest financial contributor to the Ebola response. This additional funding will enable the United States to continue work with governments, private sector partners, and humanitarian implementers to mount a robust and comprehensive response. The United States continues to call on other donors to dedicate resources toward tackling this Ebola outbreak.
Protecting Americans
The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens. The Department of State continues to operate our dedicated, 24/7 consular call center in order to maintain constant communication with affected U.S. citizens by providing real-time security updates and critical health information.
The Department of State is assisting U.S. citizens who are currently or were recently in the DRC or are otherwise impacted by travel restrictions. This includes providing financial assistance loans to support U.S. citizens who need to change their travel plans and secure temporary lodging in a country outside the DRC before returning to the United States. U.S. citizens affected by the “Do Not Board” restrictions may contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or the Department of State, to request information and/or financial assistance. Loan recipients repay the funds after returning to the United States.
Our Travel Advisory for the DRC, as well as those for Uganda and South Sudan, remains at Level 4 – Do Not Travel. Americans should not travel for any reason to these countries. The Department of State continues to work closely with the CDC, the lead federal agency for this response, to mobilize our global resources in support of this outbreak response, while putting the protection of Americans and preventing Ebola from reaching the American homeland first.
Supporting the Regional Response
Today, the Department is announcing that, working with Congress, it intends to provide an additional $242 million in funding for Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the DRC and Uganda as well as humanitarian assistance related to the outbreak. Through more than $512 million announced by the Department of State, implementing organizations are conducting critical Ebola response and preparedness efforts focused on surveillance and detection, isolation and treatment, border and point-of-entry screening, strengthening health clinics in affected areas, and engaging communities to address misinformation and garner trust in Ebola response activities to help combat further spread.
To date, State Department funding has:
- Supported 8.6 million health screenings across affected and at-risk countries;
- Reached more than one million people with risk communication messaging;
- Supported more than 180 health facilities in Ebola-affected areas and contributed to the direct operation of 12 specialized facilities in DRC to isolate and treat Ebola patients;
- Procured and distributed nearly 300 metric tons of critical supplies, including personal protective equipment and other critical commodities for water, sanitation, and hygiene and infection prevention and control; and
- Strengthened diagnostic capacity at 11 operational laboratories across the region.
Additional information about Ebola response, preparedness, and humanitarian efforts supported by the Department can be found on our Ebola Response Updates page.