The United Nations has approved a $2 million allocation from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to reinforce Ebola preparedness efforts in Rwanda as concerns over the disease persist in the region.
The announcement was made on Monday by the deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, Farhan Haq, during a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York.
According to Mr Haq, the UN and its humanitarian partners are working closely with the Rwandan government to improve preparedness in districts considered most vulnerable to a potential Ebola outbreak.
He said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has intensified efforts by training healthcare workers in high-risk communities. The training focuses on infection prevention and control, early detection of cases and prompt reporting.
The spokesperson added that UN agencies have also supplied high-risk areas with personal protective equipment (PPE), testing materials, diagnostic equipment, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies to strengthen emergency response capacity.
Mr Haq said surveillance activities remain active, including the screening of travellers at major border entry points and the expansion of environmental and wastewater monitoring. Public awareness campaigns are also being sustained through radio broadcasts and the distribution of information materials to communities.
Providing an update on the Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mr Haq said the outbreak continues to worsen, placing increasing pressure on health services and response efforts.
He disclosed that, as of July 25, the DRC had recorded about 3,200 confirmed Ebola cases across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces. He added that the country reported more than 100 new confirmed infections for the second consecutive day.
According to him, the UN and its partners are supporting the Congolese authorities with disease surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and patient care.
He also noted that the World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed more than 140,000 hot meals and food assistance to over 23,000 patients, contacts and other vulnerable people affected by the outbreak in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
In addition, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners have conducted more than 27,000 household visits to identify suspected cases and monitor affected communities.
Mr Haq said preparedness measures are also being expanded beyond the provinces currently affected by Ebola. He explained that the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday launched training for hygiene specialists at the General Reference Hospital in Bas-Uele Province to help prevent further transmission of the disease.
He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting national authorities, stressing that sustained international assistance is essential to expand treatment capacity, maintain response operations and bring the outbreak under control.
(NAN)