The United States has announced an $80 million funding package to support efforts to contain Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, amid growing concerns over the disease’s spread in the region.
The funding, unveiled by the U.S. State Department on Thursday, is aimed at strengthening disease surveillance, improving laboratory diagnostics, expanding contact tracing operations, and providing personal protective equipment to frontline health workers in the two East African countries.
According to the State Department, the initiative was developed in close coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and forms part of Washington’s broader strategy to prevent the virus from spreading across borders and beyond the region.
“The United States remains committed to supporting our partners in responding to Ebola outbreaks and protecting vulnerable communities,” the department said in a statement.
The package includes significant humanitarian assistance aimed at enhancing treatment and response capacity. U.S. officials announced an additional $50 million contribution to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to help establish up to 50 Ebola treatment centers in affected areas of the DRC and Uganda.
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Washington also pledged a further $300 million in humanitarian support to reinforce emergency operations, logistics, and community-based interventions designed to halt transmission and improve patient care.
The latest funding comes after health authorities confirmed new Ebola cases in both countries on May 15, prompting concerns among international health agencies over the potential for wider regional spread.
In response, the United States activated an emergency assistance plan and immediately made available $13 million to support surveillance systems, laboratory operations, risk communication campaigns, border screening measures, and case management activities.
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The State Department said the new commitments build on an earlier humanitarian package worth $1.8 billion that is being channelled through OCHA-managed mechanisms. Of that amount, $250 million has been specifically earmarked for strengthening Ebola response efforts in the DRC and Uganda.
International aid agencies have intensified their operations on the ground as the outbreaks evolve. Organizations supporting response efforts include the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Vision, and IMA World Health.
Health officials say strengthening community engagement and surveillance systems remains critical to stopping transmission, particularly in remote and conflict-affected areas where access to healthcare services can be limited.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been closely monitoring developments in both countries and coordinating response measures with national authorities and international partners.
According to WHO figures released by its DRC office on May 26, the Democratic Republic of Congo had recorded 121 confirmed Ebola cases and 17 deaths. The majority of infections have been concentrated in the northeastern province of Ituri, although the outbreak has now spread across three provinces and 13 health zones.
Uganda, meanwhile, has reported seven confirmed Ebola cases and one death, according to the WHO Regional Office for Africa.
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Public health experts warn that rapid detection, isolation of cases, and effective contact tracing will be essential to preventing further transmission, particularly in border regions where population movements are frequent.
The United States said its response is being coordinated with the United Nations, the European Union, and other international partners to ensure a unified approach to containing the outbreaks.
Officials stressed that continued international cooperation would be necessary to prevent the disease from spreading further and to strengthen preparedness across the region.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral disease that spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. Past outbreaks in Central and East Africa have claimed thousands of lives, making rapid intervention a priority for global health autho
