The European Union has announced a Ksh74.1 billion (€493 million) funding package to support efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the region, marking one of the largest international commitments to the response so far.

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In a statement issued on Wednesday, the European Commission said the funding will support emergency medical operations, humanitarian assistance, vaccine research, and long-term efforts to strengthen health systems in affected countries.

The Ksh74.1 billion package (€493 million) comprises frontline medical support for the immediate outbreak response, humanitarian assistance in the Great Lakes region and Uganda, research into vaccines and treatments for filoviruses, as well as preparedness and health system strengthening programmes.

According to the Commission, the response has been coordinated from the onset of the outbreak with European Union member states, international organisations, and other global partners.

📌 What You Need to Know

“Ebola is a test of our global solidarity. As some turn inward, the EU remains present, engaged, and a reliable partner,” European Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said.

The announcement comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested during the G7 Summit in France that no country or international bloc had committed significant funding towards the Ebola response apart from the United States.

The latest pledge follows a joint statement issued by G7 leaders and partner countries, including Kenya, calling for a coordinated international effort to contain the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

In the statement released on June 16, the leaders warned that the outbreak posed a significant global health security threat and pledged financial, technical, and humanitarian support to stop the disease from spreading beyond affected areas.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and the burden that the disease is inflicting on the affected communities and stand in solidarity with the countries affected," the leaders said.

The EU funding announcement comes against the backdrop of growing international mobilisation, with the United States recently announcing an additional Ksh2.59 billion (US$20 million) for Ebola preparedness efforts in Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, and South Sudan.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke