Trump administration don request over $1.4 billion from Congress to fight Ebola outbreak wey don reach France. According to Reuters, one official say the funding go include $800 million for humanitarian crisis response, wey go set up quarantine center for Kenya for Americans wey catch the virus.
The request come as France confirm dia first Ebola case – one doctor wey return from humanitarian mission for Democratic Republic of Congo. The doctor test positive for Ebola, and this be the first case for Europe for this outbreak. Before now, one American doctor wey test positive for DR Congo dem treat for German hospital.
The funding wey Trump dey ask go cover supplies, treatment, contact tracing, regional logistics network, and infection control practices. Also go include disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, cross-border coordination, and partnership with multilateral organisations and private sector.
DR Congo Ebola outbreak na from Bundibugyo strain of virus. The World Health Organization say e don infect over 1,000 people and kill 267. This be the highest number of confirmed cases for first month of any Ebola episode.
Uganda wey dey neighbour DR Congo don also confirm Ebola cases. WHO say 20 people don catch am there and two deaths don happen. France health ministry say risk to population “very low.” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus say “the risk to the rest of the world is low” and “no need to panic.”
Healthcare workers dey at risk because Ebola spread through bodily fluids. WHO say 17 of 75 health workers wey catch Ebola for DR Congo don die. No vaccine dey for Bundibugyo strain.
France don set up “dedicated monitoring system” for aid workers wey return from DR Congo. Africa CDC and US public health authorities say this outbreak fit become one of the largest ever, according to BBC.
The quarantine center for Kenya don face legal battle. Activists and local communities argue say authorities no consult dem before construction. Critics raise concerns about environmental safeguards and transparency. The dispute turn the project into one of Kenya’s most contentious foreign-funded infrastructure projects.
The US funding request also include $500 million for global health security initiatives to prevent virus from reaching United States. This go support disease surveillance, lab capacity, cross-border coordination, and partnerships.
The funding request go face scrutiny both for Washington and Nairobi. Lawmakers from both parties don question the administration request for additional Ebola funding, especially as previous cuts to international health programs weaken outbreak preparedness. Earlier this month, CDC announce $107 million emergency funding to strengthen domestic and international containment efforts.
