IOM Appeals for $55.8M to Combat Ebola Spread Across 11 Countries
By Patricia John
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched a six-month Regional Ebola Preparedness and Response Plan, seeking USD 55.8 million to contain the virus across 11 countries following the latest outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
While the IOM has already secured USD 20 million, a funding gap of approximately USD 35 million remains. The appeal aims to support critical preparedness and response activities, with a particular focus on communities affected by displacement and high levels of cross-border movement.
“The outbreak is centred on areas where people cross borders every day for trade, work, family visits, and access to services,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations.
Daniels stressed that an effective response requires reaching communities affected by conflict, displacement, and insecurity, while maintaining strict surveillance across both formal and informal border crossings.
The outbreak is unfolding in eastern DRC, where ongoing conflict and insecurity have complicated humanitarian response efforts and severely disrupted access to essential services. Local health systems remain under significant pressure as authorities scramble to contain the virus.
According to the IOM, more than one million health screenings have already been conducted at key border points and along major travel corridors in Ebola-affected and high-risk neighboring countries, including South Sudan and Uganda.At the Nimule Point of Entry in South Sudan, IOM teams continue to screen thousands of travelers daily to mitigate the risk of cross-border transmission.
“One missed case can change everything,” warned Blate David, a National Medical Officer with the IOM in Nimule.
The IOM emphasized that maintaining safe mobility while strengthening screening, surveillance, and infection prevention measures remains critical to preventing a wider regional crisis. The organization is calling for immediate international support to bolster isolation, quarantine, and public awareness efforts in vulnerable communities.
