Press release on Russia’s efforts to help the Democratic Republic of the Congo contain the Ebola virus
Russia is watching with concern an Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the death toll from the disease has already reached 2,192. Although the rate of Ebola infections appears to be slowing somewhat, on October 18 of this year the WHO Committee, which monitors this issue, announced that the Ebola outbreak is still considered an emergency that requires an immediate response.
Given the difficult epidemiological situation in this African country, and in a move to grant the request of President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi, on September 28, the Russian Government issued a directive to assist the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its efforts to fight Ebola. For this purpose, it is planned to allocate 398.5 million roubles from the budget in 2019 and 2020.
The practical aspects of future cooperation were discussed during a meeting with Head of Rospotrebnadzor [the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare] Anna Popova and Minister of Health of the DR Congo Eteni Longondo, which took place on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit on October 23, 2019. First, there are plans to train 140 Congolese specialists, including 20 specialists to be trained in Russia, in the fields of epidemiology, microbiology, molecular diagnostics and biological security; deliver two Russian-made mobile laboratories to the Equateur Province in the DRC, and teach local staff how to use them; supply modern test systems and medicines to the DR Congo; and deliver 5,000 doses of the EpiVakEbola vaccine that is registered in Russia, as well as cholera, plague and measles vaccines to this African country. As soon as these measures are successfully implemented, Russia plans to draft proposals for further cooperation.
The Agreement Between Rospotrebnadzor and the Ministry of Public Health of the DR Congo on Cooperation in the Field of Epidemiology and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, which was signed on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi on October 23-24 this year, serves as the legal framework for cooperation between the two countries in healthcare.
We are looking forward to continuing our productive partnership with the Congolese authorities, aiming to defeat the Ebola virus for good and improve the overall epidemiological situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
