U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesperson
For Immediate Release May 22, 2018
MEDIA NOTE
On May 17, Secretary Mike Pompeo determined it is in the national interest to make $5 million available immediately from the Emergency Reserve Fund to respond to the emerging outbreak of the Ebola virus disease that poses a threat to human health in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The United States announced today at the World Health Assembly in Geneva the release of $7 million in assistance, including the Emergency Reserve Funds, bringing the U.S. contribution to help combat this deadly disease to a total of $8 million thus far. The funds will support the World Health Organization’s plan to provide a rapid, localized outbreak control. The plan consists of surveillance, case investigation, contact tracing, case management, safe burials, community engagement, and social mobilization.
The United States commends the proactive efforts of the Congolese and our international partners to confront this outbreak and help prevent a global health crisis. We welcome the contributions of our international partners and urge other countries to contribute to this effort, as well as to long-term global health security capacity building efforts aimed at preventing future crises.
For more information, please contact oes-pa-dg@state.gov .
