WHO, UN appoint coordinator to tackle complex Ebola outbreak in DRC

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appoints a Senior Ebola Coordinator for DRC to improve UN coordination. The response is challenged by war and hunger, with the WFP expanding assistance to over 1.2 million people.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, on Saturday signed a joint letter to endorse the appointment of Julien Harneis as a Senior Ebola Coordinator in Kinshasa. WHO took the decision for closer coordination along the UN system after seeing the complexity during the Ebola outbreak.

In a post on X, Ghebreyesus said, "The complexity of Ebola response in DRC demands close coordination across UN system and humanitarian partners. Together with UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, I signed a joint letter to endorse the appointment of Julien Harneis as a Senior Ebola Coordinator in Kinshasa."

War Complicates Ebola Response

Previously on June 27, he had said that war makes fighting Ebola so much harder. In a post on X, he said, "True. War makes fighting Ebola so much harder, blocking access, scattering contacts, and driving people into hiding out of fear and mistrust. Yet responders show up every day, risking their lives to both the virus and the violence. They need our continued support."

WFP Expands Aid Amid Hunger Crisis

Meanwhile, as Ebola continues to spread across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN food agency is expanding assistance and logistical support, warning that hunger could undermine efforts to contain the outbreak, UN said in a statement.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is assisting more than 1.2 million people with nutrition support and humanitarian logistics as the virus has reached 34 health zones across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, where conflict, displacement and severe hunger have left millions vulnerable. Thirty of the affected health zones are experiencing crisis levels of hunger or worse.

Since late May, the agency has provided more than 36,000 hot meals to patients, caregivers and people under observation in Ebola treatment centres while food rations have reached quarantined communities to help families comply with public health measures.

The agency is also transporting medical supplies and humanitarian workers to outbreak hotspots, but warns that insecurity and funding shortfalls continue to threaten the response. WFP is seeking USD 72 million over the next six months to sustain food assistance, air services and logistics operations as the Ebola outbreak continues to grow. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)