EU Commits $18 Million in Fresh Support to Strengthen Ebola Response in DR Congo

The European Union (EU) has pledged an additional €16.5 million ($18 million) to support efforts to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the death toll from the disease surpasses 100.

The new funding package includes €5 million worth of testing equipment and another €5 million contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO) to boost disease surveillance and improve access to critical supplies, including protective gear.

An additional €6.5 million will be provided through an initiative led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to support and equip frontline healthcare workers battling the outbreak.

Speaking after meeting health workers in the DRC, EU Crisis Commissioner Hadja Lahbi said the bloc’s intervention goes beyond efforts to contain the virus.

“This is about more than containing a virus. It is about proving that when lives are at stake, the world can still come together and act. Health security is a shared responsibility. Viruses do not stop at borders; they do not care about politics,” Lahbi said.

Health authorities confirmed on Tuesday that more than 100 people have died since the outbreak began.

Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease spread through direct contact with infected individuals or exposure to contaminated bodily fluids.

The latest support follows the European Commission’s announcement in May of €15 million in humanitarian assistance for communities affected by the outbreak.