Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has expressed concern over the handling of funds allocated to combat Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), warning that substantial financial resources are failing to reach health workers and communities affected by the disease.
In a newly released report, the organisation disclosed that the epidemic remained largely uncontrolled, with medical personnel facing delayed salaries, inadequate preparation and insufficient protective equipment and medical supplies.
Some emergency vehicles have reportedly been grounded because of fuel shortages, further complicating efforts to transport patients and respond to suspected infections.
The outbreak, which was officially announced in May, has claimed more than 5,400 lives and infected approximately 11,000 people, making it the second-deadliest Ebola epidemic ever documented.
MSF has called on the Congolese authorities and United Nations agencies to improve financial supervision and ensure that previously released funding is properly accounted for and directed towards communities requiring urgent assistance.
The organisation stressed that response teams must receive adequate training, remuneration, equipment and operational support to strengthen containment activities.
The concerns follow an earlier disclosure by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which revealed that approximately $700 million out of $962 million distributed to institutions responsible for the emergency response could not be properly accounted for.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya previously cautioned against describing the discrepancy as theft, explaining that the situation reflected serious shortcomings in transparency and financial documentation.
MSF President Javid Abdelmoneim criticised the situation, observing that despite significant international contributions, personnel working directly with affected populations continued to operate without sufficient financial and logistical assistance.
He also highlighted weaknesses in disease monitoring, noting that some surveillance units existed only in official records without functioning adequately in affected communities.
The charity further identified shortcomings in contact tracing, an essential intervention involving the identification and isolation of individuals exposed to infected persons.
It disclosed that approximately two-thirds of Ebola-related fatalities were occurring within communities rather than designated treatment facilities.
British epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, according to Reuters, estimated that more than half of infections were escaping detection, raising concerns that the health emergency could persist for another 12 months.
The report also criticised the uneven distribution of intervention resources, identifying North Kivu as an area receiving an inadequate response, while Haut-Uélé province was described as being seriously neglected.
Healthcare centres in both locations reportedly lacked basic necessities, including clean water, chlorine and appropriate patient-screening arrangements, creating conditions that could facilitate further transmission.
The situation is further complicated by insecurity in eastern DR Congo, where prolonged armed conflicts have restricted humanitarian operations, with several affected communities situated in territories controlled by rebel groups.
Poor road networks have also made access to remote settlements particularly difficult.
The epidemic, linked to the relatively uncommon Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has extended beyond Congolese territory, with infections recorded in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria.
However, Kenya recorded progress in its containment efforts on Wednesday after its final known Ebola patient was discharged from hospital.
Unlike some other Ebola variants, the Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, although scientific trials are ongoing.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong