Japan provides 3 million dollars for Ebola fight in DRC

The Japanese government has announced an emergency contribution of $3 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo to bolster efforts against the Ebola outbreak ravaging the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in the east of the country.

This financial package will be divided among three international organizations active in the humanitarian response. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will receive $1.5 million, the World Food Programme (WFP) gets $1 million, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is allocated $500,000.

The funds will support interventions in health, access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Japanese authorities believe this aid will help curb the spread of the Ebola virus not only inside the DRC but also in neighbouring countries at risk of contamination.

“With this contribution, Japan reaffirms its commitment to the principle of human security,” the embassy statement reads, explaining that this principle guided Tokyo’s positive response to requests from international agencies operating in the DRC.

Amid the wave of international financial pledges following the resurgence of Ebola, Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba has called on partners to improve coordination and transparency in managing funds for health interventions, particularly for the Ebola response in the east. During a joint briefing on 18 June 2026 in Bunia, Ituri province, alongside Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya, Kamba stressed the need for a shared approach between the government and technical and financial partners. He noted that a large portion of these funds is managed directly by humanitarian organisations without passing through government channels, creating public confusion about who controls the money.

On 17 May 2026, just two days after the official declaration of the epidemic in the DRC, the World Health Organization classified the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak – which had spread from the DRC into Uganda – as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

According to the WHO, the outbreak has expanded geographically and its true scale may be underestimated. The situation is worsened by high population mobility, fragile health systems, poor infrastructure, and difficult access to conflict-affected areas. Adding to these challenges is the lack of a licensed vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo virus. Despite these concerns, Congolese authorities remain confident, drawing on experience gained from successfully controlling sixteen previous Ebola outbreaks.