By Monique Vanek.
President Cyril Ramaphosa urged African leaders and international partners to make good on their $1.5 billion in Ebola assistance pledges.
“We need to rapidly convert the pledges made into financing, technical assistance and the deployment of urgently needed medical countermeasures,” he said during a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday.
The funds were committed last month to combat the outbreak in the Congo caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola for which there is no approved vaccine or virus-specific treatment.
At least 440 people have died and more than 770 cases have been confirmed, with Ituri province remaining the epicenter of the outbreak.
“The highly infectious disease has claimed 440 lives among the 770 people confirmed infected, a fatality rate of just over 31 percent, since the outbreak was declared on May 15, the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) said in its latest report published on Thursday.
The centre of the outbreak, whose true scale remains difficult to assess, was in the northeastern Ituri province, where more than 83 percent of the deaths have occurred.
The fact that the outbreak is occurring in a conflict zone has made it difficult for health workers to reach those impacted.
Ramaphosa, who currently serves as the head of the African Union’s pandemic response, called for a ceasefire to allow for the safe passage of humanitarian assistance, healthcare workers and medical supplies to affected communities.
“We appeal to every community to stand with & protect our frontline health workers and volunteers,” he said. “They are risking their lives to save others and they must never face fear, stigma or violence while serving our people.”