Russia Offers Assistance To Combat Ebola Outbreak In Congo, Uganda

Russia has offered to help resolve the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Moscow is concerned about the scale of the crisis and is ready to assist in addressing it.

Russia’s consumer safety agency, Rospotrebnadzor, has separately announced plans to send specialists to Uganda at that country’s request.

The offer comes as the World Health Organization battles to contain the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists. No specific details on the form of Russian assistance were immediately provided.

The outbreak has killed at least 139 people and infected more than 500 others across 11 health zones in eastern DRC, with cases also confirmed in Uganda. The WHO declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern on May 17.

Ongoing armed conflict in eastern DRC has complicated response efforts, with militia groups hindering access to affected communities and disrupting contact tracing across the region.

The United States has committed $23m in emergency funding and plans to establish up to 50 treatment clinics in affected areas.