Hundreds of millions of dollars meant for the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo are not reaching the people they are intend
Hundreds of millions of dollars meant for the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo are not reaching the people they are intended for, the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned.
In a report, MSF said the outbreak remains out of control while front-line workers go unpaid, lack proper training and face shortages of essential supplies, with some ambulances running out of fuel.
More than 5,400 people have died, and 11,000 have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May, making it the second-deadliest on record.
MSF said many responders are fighting the outbreak with “empty hands and empty pockets” despite the vast sums provided.
It also described surveillance teams that exist on paper but are nowhere to be seen on the ground.
It said two-thirds of deaths are occurring in communities rather than treatment centres, and that the response has been too slow in North Kivu and has dramatically overlooked Haut-Uélé.
The charity urged the Congolese government and UN agencies to strengthen oversight and accountability so that money already disbursed is used effectively.
The warning adds to concerns Africa CDC raised last month. The agency said $700 million of the $962 million disbursed to organisations implementing the response was unaccounted for.
Its chief, Jean Kaseya, said it was too early to call this embezzlement and described it as a major transparency and financial reporting failure.
Congo’s health minister, Samuel-Roger Kamba, said only 22% of aid agencies had given the ministry details of their work. The BBC has asked the Congolese government for comment.
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