Mr Fletcher warned that although Ituri province remains the center of the outbreak, the virus is spreading to other provinces due to conflict and displacement.
Since the DRC declared an Ebola epidemic on May 15, the Bundibugyo species has infected more than 1,700 people and killed 600 in the DRC. In neighboring Uganda, authorities have confirmed 20 cases.
The effects of the epidemic are compounded by ongoing conflict, hunger, displacement, weak basic services and limited health care. in the DRC, Mr. Fletcher said, making it one of the most complex humanitarian crises
“This is more than a public health emergency“, he said.
International response
In response to the outbreak, the UN released up to $60 million in May to accelerate the response in the DRC, helped prepare neighboring countries for a possible spread of the disease, and worked with local communities to build confidence in the public health response.
The World Health Organization has worked with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known by its French acronym MONUSCO, to provide medical equipment to affected regions and build isolation and treatment units.
The UN Inter-Agency Standing Committee – which includes the leaders of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations – has activated a system-wide scale-up to control the disease in the DRC, and the UN has deployed lead Ebola coordinator Julien Harneis to support efforts to contain the disease.
“We know how to stop Ebola and we are implementing our strategy“, he said.
Calls to action
Despite these efforts, closures and travel restrictions caused by the conflict are disrupting humanitarian operations, health services and essential trade without preventing the spread of the disease.
Therefore, all parties must work together to ensure safe and sustainable access to humanitarian and health workers, response supplies and equipmentMr. Fletcher said.
He called for support for humanitarian aid programs and investment in preparedness.
The best defense against Ebola, he said, remains surveillance, laboratory testing, referral systems, infection prevention and control and community engagement. He further emphasized the need for local and community-centered approaches to contain Ebola, tailored to both men and women.
“Any delay will be measured in deaths from Ebola and lives lost to the wider humanitarian consequences of this outbreak,” Mr Fletcher said.
