MSF says Ebola aid money is not reaching a response that is failing on the ground

MSF reports hundreds of millions in Ebola funds missing their targets in DR Congo, while unpaid, under-supplied responders struggle to contain the outbreak.

Médecins Sans Frontières has published a report saying hundreds of millions of dollars meant for the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo are not reaching their intended recipients. The charity calls the outbreak out of control. It was declared in May, and more than 5,400 people have died and 11,000 have been infected in DR Congo, making it the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak recorded.

The gap shows up in the field. MSF says frontline workers are unpaid, undertrained and short of essential supplies, and some ambulances ran out of fuel. Surveillance teams exist on paper but are absent on the ground, and contact tracing remains deeply problematic despite allocated resources. Two-thirds of deaths are happening in communities rather than in treatment centres. MSF also says the response was too slow in North Kivu and that Haut-Uélé was dramatically overlooked, with some facilities lacking water, chlorine or triage systems and so becoming transmission centres. The epicentre is in conflict-affected eastern DR Congo, where some areas are under rebel control and roads are poor.

For health, the point is that money alone does not become care. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species, which has no approved vaccine or treatment, though trials are under way. That makes basic public health work, such as tracing, safe facilities and paid, equipped staff, the main defence. When funds stall, access to care shrinks and the virus spreads further. Cases have also been reported in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria; the last Ebola patient in Kenya was discharged on Wednesday.

Last month Africa CDC said $700m of the $962m disbursed to implementers was unaccounted for. Its chief, Jean Kaseya, said it was too early to call this embezzlement and described it as a transparency and financial reporting failure. MSF is urging the Congolese government and UN agencies to strengthen oversight of funds already disbursed, and to train, pay and equip responders and direct resources to the areas of greatest need. Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, as reported by Reuters, estimates over half of cases go undetected and the outbreak could last another year. The BBC asked the Congolese government for comment, and no response was included.

Source: BBC World