Beating Back Ebola in DRC: How Philanthropic and Private Support Can End the Crisis

It has been five years since the West Africa Ebola epidemic in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone resulted in 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths. Now, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing the world’s second-largest Ebola epidemic in history with more than 2,000 lives lost since the outbreak was declared in August 2018, and the risk of spread to neighboring countries remains high. 

While progress has been made, this outbreak will continue to burn and pose health, security and economic risks to the world. Now is the time to tip the scales of the outbreak and wipe out the last cases as well as strengthen public health systems for the future. To do so, it is critical that all sectors―the public, philanthropic and private―mobilize together to beat this crisis. 

DRC response needs urgent support to beat back Ebola 

Since Ebola was discovered in 1976, there have been 28 outbreaks worldwide and 10 in DRC alone—more than any other country. In addition to the current outbreak continuing to play out, there will be lasting consequences to this epidemic once it ends. 

To aid the DRC response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has requested the CDC Foundation mobilize $15–$20 million to extend the agency’s response working with officials from DRC and other partners. [Give now.]

“The Ebola outbreak in DRC is dynamic, and we cannot afford to let our guard down despite the reported decline in cases,” said Henry Walke, MD, MPH, CDC's Ebola Response incident manager. “We are closely monitoring the situation and using all available resources―including support from the CDC Foundation and its partners―in the most efficient and effective way possible, to stop the outbreak and strengthen health systems in DRC.”

Governments have challenges with how fast funding is available, whether enough funding will be available in the timeframe needed to meet emerging and urgent needs, and how that funding can be spent. That’s why flexible philanthropic and private sector support is imperative.

Governments have unique capacities and limitations, and therefore are not able to address all the challenges and needs in tackling outbreaks. This is where the flexibility and speed of the philanthropic and private sectors can have greater impact.   

 “I have worked in government, including at CDC, and I know that governments are essential in tackling a health threat like Ebola,” said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “But I also know that governments have challenges with how fast funding is available, whether enough funding will be available in the timeframe needed to meet emerging and urgent needs, and how that funding can be spent. That’s why flexible philanthropic and private sector support is imperative.” 

Today, there are many urgent needs that must be met to stem the crisis, such as hiring contractors and field staff to conduct critical interventions like contact tracing, Ebola vaccination and surveillance. Additional support is needed to purchase essential response items and services, including communications technology, lab equipment and supplies, generators, motorcycles and travel support. Importantly, support is also needed to strengthen health infrastructure in DRC and surrounding countries. 

Building on lessons from the West Africa response 

The CDC Foundation learned valuable lessons during the West Africa Ebola outbreak, including the need for resource mobilization and the importance of collaboration among all sectors to stop an outbreak. The Foundation also learned how fragile gains will be if the systems in place aren’t sustained or improved. It is crucial to apply these lessons to contain the Ebola epidemic in DRC as well as turn back future outbreaks, so that the progress made isn’t in vain.  

Over the summer of 2019, Monroe, along with Rebecca Martin, PhD, director of the Center for Global Health (CGH) at CDC, visited the four countries impacted by the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak to see the progress and evaluate the impact of collaboration and investments on strengthening public health systems in the affected countries.  

During the 2014–2016 outbreak, the CDC Foundation—through financial support from philanthropic, private sector and individual partners—provided vital resources ranging from personal protective equipment to thermal scanning thermometers to health worker training to vehicles to emergency operations centers in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to support CDC’s prevention, detection and containment efforts. Recovery efforts remain strong five years later, and these countries are now better prepared to fight future outbreaks.  

Investments to strengthen Ebola preparedness have long-term impact. They improve the region’s ability to detect and stop other outbreaks at their source, protecting global health security.

CDC and the CDC Foundation are looking for similar success in DRC to what was accomplished with partners on the ground in West Africa. 

“Investments to strengthen Ebola preparedness have long-term impact. They improve the region’s ability to detect and stop other outbreaks at their source, protecting global health security,” says Martin. “CDC has been working with the DRC for nearly two decades and is a trusted partner in the DRC-led response. We will continue to support their efforts in the months and years ahead to ensure public health capacity is built and resources help the Congolese sustain these gains.”  

“CDC has called on the CDC Foundation again to help mobilize support to tackle this outbreak and prepare DRC and surrounding countries for future outbreaks, which we know will occur if we don’t act now,” said Monroe. “Today, we need generous donors to step forward again to partner with us to help DRC like we did in West Africa.” 

Give now and have a role in stopping Ebola in DRC and preparing the country to fight Ebola and other threats in the future.