World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that containing the Ebola outbreak requires strong political commitment.
According to Ghebreyesus, the response also requires adequate funding and the trust of affected communities.
He said the outbreak is now spreading more rapidly, prompting health authorities to intensify their efforts to contain the disease.
In response, the WHO announced a $518-million joint six-month plan aimed at combating the outbreak.
According to the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the initiative seeks to help the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda contain the outbreak while assisting other countries in preparing for potential cases through strengthened border screening measures.
At present, at least 380 Ebola cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 62 confirmed deaths.
Meanwhile, Uganda has reported 19 cases and two deaths linked to the disease.
(PHOTO COURTESY: Reuters)
