Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, OCHA, Tom Fletcher has allocated $2 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to strengthen Ebola readiness in Rwanda.
Although there have been no reported cases in the country, there is a high risk of cross-border spread due to the movement of people across the border from the DRC, where the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The risk is worsened by displacement and pressure on health systems.
The funding from CERF will support action to prevent the introduction and spread of Ebola. It will help strengthen early detection and rapid response, improve case management and infection prevention, and expand community engagement and national preparedness across 13 high-risk districts in Rwanda, reaching more than 161,000 people.
This allocation is part of Mr. Fletcher’s broader commitment of up to $60 million to accelerate Ebola response efforts in the DRC and to help preparedness in neighbouring countries at risk. (End)