The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned that the current Ebola outbreak in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could escalate into the deadliest outbreak in history if immediate international action is not taken. The organization, founded by Albert Einstein, reported Tuesday that the spread of the virus is outpacing the response efforts. This situation is made more critical by ongoing conflicts and forced displacement, which are accelerating the risk of regional spread. Furthermore, severe cuts to global aid have significantly weakened the health systems and outbreak preparedness in Eastern DRC.
Bob Kitchen, IRC’s Vice President for Emergency Response, stated, “The warning signs are red. Eastern DRC is managing this outbreak in a fragile state, with fewer resources than during the 2018-2020 outbreak, which claimed over 2,000 lives. Increasing violence and aid reductions have dismantled protective measures at the worst possible time. The lesson from every previous outbreak is clear: delays cost lives”. Kitchen added that the current predicament presents a brutal equation for global aid: risks are growing while resources are dwindling.
The aid organization is demanding several measures to contain the outbreak. According to the IRC, a UN coordinator should be appointed through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the region’s health authority, the Africa CDC. They insist that barriers to effective relief must be removed, requiring the immediate lifting of import restrictions on protective equipment, the acceleration of accreditation for specialized NGOs, and the ensuring of humanitarian access and delivery of critical medical supplies.
To combat the infection, immediate needs include stocking up on health care resources, virus monitoring tools, and treatment centers. Crucially, women and girls must be put at the center of the response, as they currently account for two-thirds of all suspected cases. In the long term, the IRC calls for investments in the DRC’s health system to facilitate earlier detection and prevention of future outbreaks. While the current outbreak still can be brought under control, its containment depends on governments, donors, UN organizations, and humanitarian groups urgently collaborating with the Africa CDC to support both first responders and affected communities.
