Africa’s top public health agency has increased the estimated funding required to contain the continent’s Ebola outbreak to $1.4 billion, nearly three times its earlier projection This comes as infections continue to rise and humanitarian conditions deteriorate in the hardest-hit areas.
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director-General Jean Kaseya said the revised estimate was developed in consultation with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government and United Nations agencies.
The new figure expands on the previous $518 million estimate by incorporating humanitarian assistance alongside public health response measures.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has infected more than 1,100 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo and 20 in neighbouring Uganda, making it the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak during its first month on record.
Kaseya said around $910 million has been pledged by governments and development partners, but only 13% of those commitments have so far been disbursed to affected countries and response agencies. He warned that without the full $1.4 billion, efforts to bring the outbreak under control would be severely constrained.
The revised funding requirement reflects worsening conditions in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak. According to Africa CDC, overcrowded displacement camps and a growing humanitarian crisis are making it increasingly difficult for health workers to detect cases early and trace contacts, two measures considered essential for containing Ebola transmission.
Kaseya noted that limited access to displacement camps has become a major obstacle to the response. Many camps are located in insecure areas where conflict and population movements have complicated surveillance efforts and delayed interventions by health authorities.
The funding request comes weeks after Africa CDC and the World Health Organization launched a joint six-month preparedness and response plan covering June to November 2026. That plan sought $518 million to strengthen surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention, clinical care, community engagement and cross-border coordination across affected and at-risk countries.
Health officials have repeatedly warned that the Bundibugyo strain presents additional challenges because there are currently no licensed vaccines or treatments specifically approved for it. The absence of proven medical countermeasures has increased reliance on early detection, isolation of cases and rigorous contact tracing to slow transmission.
The World Health Organization also warned this week that the outbreak continues to outpace response efforts, citing insecurity, mistrust in some communities and limited access to affected populations as major constraints. These factors have heightened concerns that the virus could spread further if response operations are not significantly expanded.
Africa CDC maintains that rapid financing is essential to preventing a wider regional health crisis. The agency said addressing both the humanitarian emergency and the public health response simultaneously will be critical to containing the outbreak before it becomes even more costly and difficult to control.
Emmanuel Abara Benson is a business journalist and editor covering artificial intelligence, global markets, and emerging technology.
He has previously worked with Business Insider Africa and Nairametrics, reporting on finance, startups, and innovation.
His work focuses on AI, digital economy, and global tech trends.
Djimon Hounsou (Benin)
Most Famous Movie: Blood Diamond (2006) or Amistad (1997)
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