WASHINGTON, June 11: The United States on Wednesday announced an additional USD 20 million in funding to support Ebola preparedness efforts in East and Central Africa, bringing the State Department's direct contribution to the current Ebola response to more than USD 220 million.
The funding will support preparedness activities in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan as health authorities work to contain an Ebola outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
"The Department is announcing USD 20 million in additional funding toward the Department's ongoing Ebola response and preparedness efforts," the US State Department said in a statement.
The new funding comes in addition to USD 350 million allocated for Ebola response and humanitarian assistance in the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda under a broader U.S. aid package announced in May.
"The United States continues to be the largest financial contributor to the Ebola response," the department said.
Washington said the additional resources would help strengthen emergency operations centres, disease surveillance systems, testing capabilities, border screening measures and infection prevention efforts in countries surrounding the outbreak zone.
