China raises Ebola response support to $4.5 million with fresh $2.5 million donation

China has contributed an additional $2.5 million to support Africa’s response to the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, bringing its total direct contribution to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to $4.5 million.

The latest contribution was disclosed on Friday by Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya in a post on his X account after the emergency funding was formally handed over by China’s Ambassador to the African Union, Jiang Feng, as African health authorities continue to mobilise international support to contain the outbreak.

The fresh funding follows China’s earlier $2 million contribution and comes as African countries intensify surveillance, treatment, contact tracing and community protection efforts against the Ebola outbreak.

What he’s saying

Announcing the donation, Kaseya said he had welcomed China’s additional $2.5 million emergency contribution, which was formally handed over by Ambassador Jiang Feng, describing the gesture as another strong show of solidarity with Africa in its fight against the virus.

• “I welcomed a further USD 2.5 million emergency contribution from the Government of China, formally handed over by H.E. Ambassador Jiang Feng, Head of Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the African Union.“

He said the additional funding would bolster frontline Ebola response activities by strengthening operations on the ground, safeguarding healthcare workers and vulnerable communities, and accelerating efforts to contain the outbreak in affected countries.

Kaseya also expressed appreciation to the Chinese government for its continued support.

• “On behalf of Africa CDC, I extend my deep gratitude to President Xi Jinping, the Government and the people of China for standing with Africa at this critical moment.“

Get up to speed

The latest Chinese contribution adds to growing international financial support aimed at containing the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.

In June, the United States announced an additional $20 million to strengthen Ebola preparedness and response efforts across four African countries, increasing total U.S. State Department support for Ebola response and preparedness to more than $220 million, including over $200 million previously committed to disease control and regional prevention efforts.

• The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has also requested more than $1.4 billion in supplemental funding from Congress to strengthen domestic preparedness against the outbreak while supporting treatment, evacuation and response operations for Americans exposed to the virus.

Of the proposed funding, $800 million is designated for establishing a quarantine facility in Kenya for potentially exposed Americans, alongside investments in medical supplies, treatment, contact tracing, regional logistics and infection prevention measures to reduce the risk of cross-border transmission.

What you should know

Africa has secured approximately $498.8 million in pledges and funding commitments to strengthen response efforts against the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease outbreak across affected and high-risk countries.

• The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has allocated up to $60 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to support containment efforts after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The WHO has warned that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, making rapid surveillance, infection prevention, contact tracing and international financing critical to controlling the outbreak.

Other major commitments announced by international partners include $160 million from the World Bank for Congo, $82 million from the United States, and approximately $57 million from European partners to strengthen the regional Ebola response.