Ebola Crisis - Humanitarian Assistance in the DRC - OCHA 2020

October 2019 – The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been battling its 10th Ebola outbreak since August 1 2018. It is second only to the 2014 West Africa outbreak in magnitude. As of September 11 2019 there have been 3 099 cases of Ebola in the DRC with 2 074 deaths. In addition four deaths were reported in Uganda between June and August 2019. On July 17 2019 the WHO declared this outbreak a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” a designation that indicates that a crisis has the potential for global reach. With GAC’s support this project aims to provide funding to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to bring together humanitarian actors and Congolese authorities in order to ensure a coherent response to the ongoing crisis. Project activities include: (1) advocating for multi-sectorial coordination for humanitarian response; (2) supporting operation readiness and preparedness in neighbouring countries; and (3) strengthening the emergency telecommunications system.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) strengthened humanitarian leadership and coordination systems; (2) enhanced monitoring and reporting on humanitarian situations; (3) enhanced advocacy on behalf of affected populations; (4) strengthened assessment and prioritization of humanitarian needs and strategic planning; (5) improved emergency preparedness; and (6) increased funding for humanitarian assistance. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.