Ebola epidemic: Switzerland supports fight to curb spread in DRC

The DRC is facing a new Ebola epidemic caused by the Bundibugyo virus. To date, the Congolese authorities have recorded more than 900 suspected cases (100 confirmed) and 220 suspected Ebola deaths (10 confirmed). For the time being, the outbreak is mainly affecting the provinces of Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu in the east of the country, a region beset by armed conflict, with large-scale population movements facilitating the spread of the virus and complicating the delivery of aid.

Faced with this situation, the FDFA's Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has decided to allocate CHF 3 million to combat the spread of the Ebola epidemic. Drawn from its emergency aid funds, the package includes a contribution of CHF 2,040,000 to the Geneva-based WHO to coordinate the deployment of emergency medical teams and provide support in the form of expertise and laboratory facilities.

Half a million Swiss francs will be used to support a maternal and child health programme in South and North Kivu. This is an additional contribution to an ongoing partnership between the SDC and the communes in these provinces to enable them to carry out epidemiological monitoring, prevention and case management. The remaining CHF 400,000 will be allocated to an ongoing MEDAIR project for the prevention and control of infectious diseases in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. The funds earmarked for SDC emergency aid are part of Switzerland's regular humanitarian aid budget.

In addition, the SDC plans to make two specialists from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit available to UN agencies that request them. The Swiss cooperation office in Bukavu is monitoring developments and is responsible for implementing Switzerland's response to the crisis.