Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, stressed today that we cannot respond incrementally to an epidemic which is now growing exponentially. Speaking to Member States, Fletcher called for a sustained, large-scale operation that gets ahead of the Ebola virus. He said that we cannot fight Ebola in isolation: people need functioning health services, clean water, sanitation, food, protection and livelihoods. Above all, they need trust. F
Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, stressed today that we cannot respond incrementally to an epidemic which is now growing exponentially.
Speaking to Member States, Fletcher called for a sustained, large-scale operation that gets ahead of the Ebola virus.
He said that we cannot fight Ebola in isolation: people need functioning health services, clean water, sanitation, food, protection and livelihoods. Above all, they need trust.
Fletcher noted that time is not on our side, but the UN and partners have the experience, the tools, and extraordinary people risking their lives to stop this epidemic. What is needed now is political will, access, and resources. He said We have beaten Ebola before. And we can do it again.
Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is driving fresh displacement and complicating efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak.
In the province of Ituri, local civil society sources say that at least 37 civilians were killed and more than 35 people abducted during armed attacks in the territory of Mambasa on 29 August. The violence triggered new displacement from several villages, and at least 86 civilians have been killed in attacks across the territory in August.
In neighbouring South Kivu province, partners report that clashes in the territory of Walungu have displaced at least 15,000 people since 23 August. Most of those displaced are sheltering with host families and need food, shelter and healthcare. Meanwhile, active fighting in parts of North Kivu province continues to force people to flee their homes.
These developments are unfolding in provinces affected by the Ebola outbreak. As of 30 August, national health authorities had reported more than 6,100 confirmed cases and nearly 2,950 deaths.
Insecurity and the movement of people continue to hamper surveillance and response efforts.
Despite these challenges, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the authorities' response. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has conducted nearly 23 million health screenings in the DRC and neighbouring countries, helping to monitor people’s movements, detect potential cases and reduce the risk of transmission across borders.
The UN reiterates its call on all parties to protect civilians and facilitate safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access. Maintaining access to communities affected by the outbreak remains critical for delivering life-saving assistance and supporting efforts to bring Ebola under control.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
