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WFP doubles assistance to Congo Ebola-affected people
29.07.2019 15:28 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
As of last week, one year after the beginning of the complex outbreak within the volatile eastern part of Congo, and ten days since the «alarming confirmation of a first case within Goma, the region biggest city, with some two million people», WFP (UN World Food program) Spokesperson Herve Verhoosel said that the WFP is «stepping up preparations for a potential further escalation of the epidemic», UN Radio reports.
As to him, within the next six months, WFP will nearly double its food assistance and nutritional support to 440,000 Ebola-affected people within Congo; this would include "primarily contacts of victims and their families, as well as confirmed and suspected cases.
It is to be admitted, expected new contacts are at roughly 50 per case, which equals a total of 75,000 contacts within the next five months.
In meanwhile, since the WFP distributions are carried out at agreed sites for «contacts» of Ebola-affected people, families receive one-week rations, encouraging them to come back to the distribution site where they can also receive a medical check-up at least once per week, over the course of 28 days.
It is to be admitted, the WFP regional response also includes efforts to expand the fleet of aircraft dedicated to the Ebola campaign, in support of frontline responders, including UN agencies and NGO personnel.
In meanwhile, WFP requires US$50 million within the next six months to implement its response and preparedness actions within DRC and neighbouring countries: Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
The agency has set up 69 screening and isolation units at the major border crossings between DRC and the priority countries, and in hospitals.
It is to be reminded, earlier this week, the World Bank announced the mobilization of US$300 million to scale up support for the global response to the Congo Ebola epidemic.
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