Ruptly
"As the Ebola outbreak continues to impact communities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has intensified its support for those affected by managing critical supply chains and distributing humanitarian aid. "WFP mobilised from the very beginning of the epidemic. WFP mobilised to work with the WHO in support of the DRC government," said Sib Ollo, WFP Coordinator for the Eastern Zone in the DRC. He explained that after food and medical supplies arrive at WFP facilities, they are transported to regions experiencing the highest levels of Ebola transmission. "The Ebola crisis is a health crisis that will affect people’s ability to generate income, to go to work, to find food, and to farm," Ollo explained. "All of this will impact the food and nutrition situation and complicate an already very difficult situation for millions of displaced people and those living in camps in Ituri." As the epidemic continues, Ollo urged the international community to increase its support and provide the resources needed to contain the outbreak. He noted that sustained support will also be required to address its longer-term consequences. "We must act now. We must provide the necessary resources. We must provide the necessary capacity. This response must also enable us to build the DRC's health system, particularly in Ituri," he emphasised. "This humanitarian response must also help develop other sectors of the region's economy. So, this is a call for aid, a call for international solidarity, a call for international mobilisation," Ollo concluded. An Ebola outbreak was declared by the DRC and Uganda on May 15, after laboratory tests confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease. The WHO then announced a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17. The DRC has also over 1,000 suspected cases, 125 of which have been confirmed by local authorities, as well as at least 246 suspected deaths of which 17 have been verified locally. Meanwhile, neighbouring Uganda has announced 9 cases and one death."
Go to News Site