EU and WHO Step Up Support for Ebola Response in Congo and Uganda

Oslo (ANTARA) - The European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are strengthening their cooperation to support the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the WHO Regional Office for Europe said on Tuesday.

The cooperation aims to help national authorities rapidly control transmission, protect communities, and strengthen regional preparedness, the Copenhagen-based WHO Europe said in a press release.

With EU support, the WHO is scaling up coordinated action in surveillance, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and the sustainability of essential health services, in close collaboration with national authorities and partners.

The EU is allocating 15 million euros (1 euro = Rp20,839) in humanitarian funding to support emergency operations in the affected areas, as well as preparedness and prevention efforts in countries neighbouring the DRC and Uganda. Of this total, 5 million euros is allocated to the WHO, according to the press release.

The EU has also launched a Humanitarian Air Bridge operation to deliver 100 metric tons of emergency supplies to eastern DRC, including sample collection kits, viral haemorrhagic fever management kits, medicines, and additional capacity for field teams.

The EU and WHO said they would continue to work together to control the outbreak and strengthen resilience to future health emergencies.