The United States government has announced an additional $242 million (about Ksh31.3 billion) to support immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in East Africa, as the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to claim lives across the region.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 11, the US Department of State said the funding, developed in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will strengthen response work in the DRC, Uganda and neighbouring countries, alongside broader humanitarian assistance tied to the outbreak.
“The Department is announcing that, working with Congress, it intends to provide an additional $242 million in funding for immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the region and humanitarian assistance related to the outbreak,” the statement read.
The commitment builds on a pledge Washington made at the G7 Leaders’ Summit on June 16, when it promised up to $500 million for the Ebola response. With this latest allocation, the State Department said US direct assistance to combat the outbreak has now surpassed $512 million, separate from $350 million already committed to humanitarian assistance in the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda.
According to the State Department, the money will go toward disease surveillance and detection, patient isolation and treatment, screening at borders and points of entry, strengthening health facilities and laboratories, and community outreach to counter misinformation about the virus. US officials say the response has already supported 8.6 million health screenings, reached more than a million people with public health messaging, and backed 12 specialised Ebola treatment centres in the DRC.
The US Embassy in Nairobi said the funding also extends to Kenya, helping secure medical supplies and strengthen the country’s health system against the virus, even as it maintains its Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
The announcement comes as Kenya continues to grapple with controversy over a US-backed Ebola isolation facility in Laikipia, which triggered public protests and court challenges over sovereignty and health-risk concerns. The High Court has issued conservatory orders halting its establishment and operation, and Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has said construction remains suspended in compliance with the court’s directive.
“The United States continues to be the largest financial contributor to the Ebola response,” the State Department said, urging other international donors to step up their own contributions to the fight against the outbreak.
