Humanitarian aid cuts threaten Ebola fight in Congo

Ebola is spreading rapidly in parts of eastern Africa. Since the outbreak was officially declared earlier this month in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the deadly disease has killed at least 240 people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Public health officials are racing to contain the virus in one of the most challenging environments: Ituri province, the epicenter of the crisis, is both a mining hub where thousands work in close proximity daily and a conflict zone with relentless fighting among rebel groups. Health facilities are limited, while waves of displaced people live in overcrowded camps to avoid the clashes, making infection control even harder. The virus has spread to other areas in eastern DRC and to Uganda's capital, Kampala.

This is the first major Ebola outbreak since the United States, Britain and other Western nations implemented sweeping humanitarian aid cuts, starting with the Trump administration and Elon Musk's slashing of USAID. The rapid-response infrastructure from previous Ebola outbreaks has been scaled back to the point of being nearly unfit for purpose, hindering efforts to save patients, according to experts.

Health workers and communities face challenges

There is no vaccine for Ebola. The virus spreads from wild animals to humans and between humans through bodily fluids. First identified in 1976, Ebola primarily occurs in tropical rainforests of West, Central and East Africa. During 2014–2016, the deadliest known outbreak killed 11,325 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Frontline workers are now desperately trying to prevent a similar tragedy in eastern DRC and Uganda.

Dr. Papys Lame, Ebola response coordinator in Ituri for the NGO Alima, said the virus may have been circulating in communities around Bunia, the provincial capital, for some time before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15. Symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea resemble common illnesses like malaria or typhoid, making detection difficult. Due to a lack of testing facilities, the number of suspected cases is believed to be much higher than the official WHO figures.

“We don't have specific treatments for Ebola right now, but we can save patients if they come early. The chance of recovery is higher. But if they come late, the mortality rate is very high,” said Dr. Lame, a Senegalese national. “Patients are afraid because they know Ebola has no cure. Many have lost relatives or colleagues. This also affects frontline workers, who have also lost colleagues.”

At least five doctors and nurses have died after treating patients at the Bunia Protestant Medical Center, including Dr. Vladimir Maduali (age 30, died Sunday) and Dr. Tibenderana Katho Blaise (died two days later). Several other colleagues are believed to have contracted the virus.

The fragile relationship with local communities also hampers response efforts. Some residents of Ituri believe the virus does not exist or was brought by aid workers, making them afraid to go to hospitals. There have been attacks on health facilities. In one incident, a group of young people set fire to an Ebola treatment center in the Rwampara area in an attempt to retrieve the body of their friend.

“The death of a young football player suspected of Ebola shocked the community and family. Young people came demanding the body without proper handling. Because it was a suspected case, we had to conduct a safe burial, so people became angry,” Dr. Lame explained. “For us, this was not an attack on the organization. It was anger and frustration at the loss of an important person in the community.”

Aid cuts weaken response system

Maintaining community cooperation is key to quickly ending the epidemic. On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a ceasefire in Ituri between rebel groups to help contain the outbreak. However, the effort could take months. The 2014 outbreak in West Africa took more than two years to end, with substantial international support.

Western humanitarian aid cuts appear to have made the response much slower this time. U.S. foreign aid to DRC dropped from $1.4 billion in 2024 to $21 million this year. Health officials warn that the U.S. seems to be doing very little to stop the disease this time.

“Ebola is one of those truly frightening, heartbreaking, terrible things that happen in waves. Since the 2014 outbreak, we have gotten better at identifying and responding to the virus. There was a huge effort to train local epidemiologists and health workers. The USAID cuts are clearly devastating. It takes a long time to build a system but not long to destroy it,” said Selena Victor, senior director for policy and advocacy at Mercy Corps.

Some countries, including the U.S., are providing additional funding, but the amounts are far smaller than the resources used for previous outbreaks. Officials warn that supplies of basic personal protective equipment are already a concern.

Global efforts

Last week, scientists at the University of Oxford said they are developing an Ebola vaccine that could be ready for clinical trials within two months, as part of efforts to stop the virus. WHO considers the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. However, in an era of sharp political polarization, governments are not responding as they once did.

The U.S. has banned entry for people who have been in DRC, South Sudan and Uganda within the past 21 days. The Trump administration is also building a quarantine and treatment center in Kenya for Americans affected by Ebola, rather than bringing them home, a move that has drawn widespread criticism.

Dr. Lame stressed that his team needs sufficient resources to save patients and called for more foreign aid. “Community engagement against Ebola is crucial, and we need more resources for this: international staff to support community outreach, personnel, logistics, water and sanitation. Hopefully we will have enough to work.”