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United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed for $1.1 billion to fund the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Guterres made the appeal on Thursday, warning that current funding could run out within weeks.
The $2.1 billion aid plan has received major support from the United States but remains only 48 percent funded.
“Without additional funding, vital operations will run out of money, just when they need to expand,” Guterres said.
He urged donors to provide the remaining $1.1 billion, warning that more funding would be needed later.
“That is why I am appealing for the remaining $1.1 billion, recognising that even more will be needed in the future,” he said.
More than 5,600 confirmed Ebola cases, including over 2,700 deaths, have been recorded in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15.
The outbreak is the largest in the country’s history and has further strained an already stretched health system.
Guterres warned that without urgent funding, health and humanitarian operations could be forced to scale back when the response needs to expand.
