Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) told reporters on Sept. 2 that the world’s response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) needs to be increased. Dr. Tedros is calling for accelerating of $1.3 billion by the international community, according to US News. Dr. Tedros said, “We know that we are making this request at a time when financing for humanitarian assistance has contracted. But as we know from previous Ebola outbreaks, we can control this epidemic if we choose to.”
The WHO has shipped 320 tons of supplies and is testing about 3,000 people per day, but hopes to increase the rate of this testing and needs to expand bed capacity at Ebola treatment centers. The WHO spends about $15 million per month for a 1,500-bed treatment center.
Dr. Tedros warned that there have been recent deaths which continue to come from outside any known contact chain, adding, “That means there are chains of transmission we don’t know about.” Speaking at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Dr. Tedros said, “Until every chain is found and broken, the epidemic will continue and will continue to pose a threat to the DRC, its neighbors and the region as a whole.” He also warned that many burials have been done in an unsafe manner which will only spread the disease further.
