Thursday, March 28News That Matters

EU Allocates €3M to Uganda’s Ebola Fight.

Press Release
The EU has mobilised further emergency funding of €3 million to support the response to the Ebola outbreak in Uganda. A statement from the EU delegation in Uganda says part of the funding (€1.5 million) will support the World Health Organisation in its coordination and surveillance activities, safe and dignified burials, as well as logistics and follow-up and care of survivors.
While €1 million will be allocated to UNICEF to address infection prevention and control, as well as risk communication and community engagement while the remaining €500,000 will go to the International Rescue Committee for preparedness and infection prevention and control in the most exposed refugee settlements.
“We are exploring all available options for providing additional support in responding to the Ebola outbreak”, stressed Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič. According to the statement, the EU has already allocated €200,000 to the Uganda Red Cross Society to support its activities on coordination, surveillance, contact tracing, risk communication, community engagement, and safe and dignified burials.
An additional €100,000 was allocated to the Kenya Red Cross to support its preparations at-risk locations in view of possible cases in Kenya, and €50,000 to help the Red Cross prepare in South Sudan. As of October 19th, 2022, Uganda had confirmed 64 cases of the Ebola Virus-Sudan strain, with up to 25 confirmed deaths– including four health workers.
There is no known vaccine for this strain. The EU said it remains in contact with the Uganda authorities, the WHO, and partners on the ground on further steps. In addition, the EU team on the ground has been reinforced with the short-term deployment of a health expert.

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