Switzerland Pledges 3.2 Million Euros to Aid Congo's Ebola Response

Switzerland has announced a financial aid package of 3 million Swiss francs (approximately 3.2 million euros) to support the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in its fight against the ongoing Ebola outbreak. The epidemic has resulted in at least 220 deaths and around 900 suspected cases.

A significant portion of the funding, 2.2 million euros, is designated for coordinating and deploying emergency medical teams from the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is traveling to the DRC to oversee these operations. The remaining funds will be directed towards specific health initiatives.

An estimated 547,000 euros will be allocated to a maternal and child health program in the provinces of South Kivu and North Kivu, which are among the areas most severely affected by the epidemic, alongside Ituri. Another 437,000 euros will support an ongoing project focused on the prevention and control of infectious diseases in Ituri and North Kivu.

Furthermore, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is considering providing two specialists from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Corps to the United Nations to assist in the response to the outbreak. The WHO has previously raised alarms about the rapid spread of the virus.