US commits additional $267 million to Ebola fight as DRC deaths exceed 3,700

The United States has pledged an additional $267 million to support the fight against the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, as the death toll from the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has exceeded 3,700.

The US Department of State announced the additional funding on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The latest commitment brings the Trump administration’s total funding for the Ebola response to $886 million, including $107 million provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, according to US officials.

US Pledges $267 Million for Ebola

The new funding comes as international health authorities seek additional financial support to meet a $2 billion target for the Ebola response, with the bulk of the resources expected to support operations in the DRC.

The US pledge was announced as governments and international partners were being urged to increase their contributions to the response.

DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka said the country was treating the outbreak as a major national priority while drawing on experience from previous Ebola outbreaks.

• “For the DRC, fighting this epidemic is an absolute priority. After having contained 16 previous outbreaks, the DRC is mobilizing recognized scientific and operational expertise.”
• She added that national mobilisation and support from partners had meant “the response has recently begun producing tangible results.”

The assistance is expected to support treatment units, safe and dignified burials, personal protective equipment, disease surveillance, medical supplies and contact tracing in affected communities.

Ebola Death Toll Surpasses 3,700

The latest pledge comes months after the US announced additional funding for Ebola preparedness across Africa.

• In June, the US announced an additional $20 million for preparedness efforts in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan, taking direct State Department support for Ebola response and preparedness to more than $220 million at the time.
• Despite the increasing international funding, the Ebola outbreak has continued to claim lives.
• Nairametrics reported last week that deaths from the outbreak had crossed 3,500. The latest update from the United Nations on September 23 puts the number at more than 3,700, with the outbreak now confirmed across seven provinces in the DRC.

Reported cases declined by about 26% in Ituri over the latest 21-day period. Cases declined by 15% in Haut-Uele during the same period. North Kivu, however, recorded a 73% increase.

• “While cases and deaths are declining in some provinces, they continue to rise in others,” said WHO Regional Emergency Director for Africa, Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire.

DRC Ebola Outbreak Faces Vaccine Gap

There is currently no licensed vaccine specifically for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola responsible for the DRC outbreak, although researchers are racing to develop and test candidates.

• The Ervebo vaccine, which is licensed for the Zaire strain, is being used experimentally among frontline workers while researchers assess whether it can provide protection against Bundibugyo.
• Research into the Bundibugyo strain has also attracted new funding.
• In September, Nairametrics reported that $3.9 million had been committed to research projects focused on understanding the virus, modelling its spread and preparing for vaccine trials.
• This followed a commitment of up to $8.5 million by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in July to Hilleman Laboratories to develop and manufacture a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine candidate for clinical trials.

If early-stage trials are successful, the partnership plans to facilitate technology transfer for larger-scale production.

Beyond the immediate health impact, the outbreak also carries significant economic risks. A UNDP assessment warned in June that an uncontrolled spread could cost Africa as much as $3.6 billion and put up to 328,000 jobs at risk. Even if the outbreak remains contained, the DRC could lose more than $1 billion in economic output and about 55,000 jobs