A growing Ebola outbreak in central Africa has raised concerns among global health experts, who warn that major cuts to US public health funding and international assistance are weakening efforts to contain the virus.
Health officials reported hundreds of suspected cases and more than 100 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since April, while additional infections and fatalities have also been recorded in Uganda, with fears the outbreak could spread further across the region, News.Az reports, citing The Guardian.
Experts say the United States has significantly reduced its role in global outbreak prevention after dismantling USAID programs, cutting funding to the World Health Organization and scaling back key scientific research initiatives.
Scientists said there is currently no cure or vaccine for the rare Bundibugyo variant of Ebola linked to the outbreak. Researchers and health workers are now trying to track the spread of the virus and prevent wider transmission.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, warning that the crisis could continue for months. Experts noted that the Democratic Republic of the Congo had previously depended heavily on US health assistance programs.
According to health analysts, US financial support to the DRC and Uganda has sharply declined over the past two years, affecting surveillance systems, frontline health services and emergency response operations.
Former US health officials and researchers said laboratories and response teams that previously played a key role in fighting Ebola outbreaks have either been closed or significantly reduced following staff layoffs and funding cuts.
Experts also warned that travel restrictions alone would not stop the spread of the disease and stressed that controlling the outbreak at its source remains the most effective strategy.
Health specialists said African scientists and local health authorities continue to lead response efforts, but cautioned that the reduction in international support could make containing the outbreak far more difficult.
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