U.S. pumps $162m into Ebola fight as outbreak threatens Central Africa

The United States has intensified its response to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, committing more than $162 million to support containment efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda amid concerns over the disease’s potential international spread.

In an update issued on Friday, the U.S. Department of State said the funding is being deployed in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), international organisations, governments and humanitarian partners to halt the outbreak at its source and prevent it from reaching American shores.

The latest commitment forms part of a broader humanitarian intervention in the region. Washington disclosed that it had also channelled $350 million through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to support relief efforts in the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, while an additional $50 million has been earmarked for the establishment of up to 50 Ebola response clinics.

The announcement comes as North America prepares to host the FIFA World Cup 2026, prompting heightened public health measures by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

In a joint statement issued on May 28, the three countries unveiled coordinated travel protocols for passengers arriving from African regions considered to be at the highest risk of Ebola transmission.

The measures are aimed at safeguarding residents and the millions of visitors expected for the global football tournament while ensuring uninterrupted trade and travel across their borders.

As part of the precautionary steps, the U.S. State Department has updated its worldwide travel advisory, directing travellers who have recently visited the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan to enter the United States only through designated airports where enhanced health screening procedures have been put in place.

The department also renewed its health alert for Uganda, warning American citizens against non-essential travel and drawing attention to border restrictions and updated CDC guidance requiring enhanced precautions.

Beyond domestic protection measures, Washington is expanding support for frontline containment operations across affected countries.

In the DRC, U.S.-funded agencies have delivered large quantities of infection prevention supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitation materials, disinfectants, thermometers and screening equipment. Humanitarian group Samaritan’s Purse has already completed two airlifts carrying 24 tonnes of equipment intended for a 40-bed Ebola treatment centre.

Uganda has also benefited from the delivery of water, sanitation and infection-control materials to dozens of health facilities located in districts classified as high risk.

The United States said border screening and surveillance activities have been strengthened at several strategic entry points and airports across the region.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) teams are supporting health monitoring operations in eastern DRC and at major airports in Uganda, Burundi and Ethiopia.

Efforts to identify and isolate potential cases have also been intensified through contact tracing and public awareness campaigns. More than 1,300 health workers have been deployed in the DRC, while community outreach programmes involving religious leaders, media organisations and local authorities are being used to counter misinformation and encourage preventive measures.

Diagnostic capacity is similarly being expanded. U.S.-supported health partners have delivered thousands of Ebola testing cartridges and facilitated the transportation of laboratory samples to improve case detection and reporting.

On the treatment front, U.S. assistance has enabled the establishment of multiple transit centres and a dedicated Ebola Treatment Unit, while infection prevention measures are being scaled up at dozens of healthcare facilities.

The outbreak has also prompted renewed diplomatic engagement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently discussed regional containment efforts with Kenyan President William Ruto, with Washington pledging an additional $13.5 million to strengthen Kenya’s preparedness against a possible spread of the virus.