Money pledged to combat the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is failing to reach the health workers and communities on the front lines, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned. The charity said staff remain unpaid, inadequately trained and without basic supplies, while some ambulances have been forced to stop operating after running out of fuel.
More than 5,400 people have died and 11,000 have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May. MSF’s warning comes after Africa CDC raised concerns that $700 million of the $962 million distributed to organisations involved in the response remains unaccounted for.
As the outbreak continues to spread, MSF is urging stronger financial oversight and greater accountability. The organisation also said weak surveillance and shortcomings in contact tracing are allowing cases to go undetected, making it harder to contain transmission and extending the crisis.
