The World Bank will mobilize $300 million to fight Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the institution announced in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The new funding, in the form of grants and credits, will be largely provided by the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) and its Crisis Response Mechanism, designed to help countries face severe crises and reposition themselves on their sustainable development path.

Another $100 million was disbursed by the Bank and the Emergency Pandemic Financing Facility (EFP) in response to this crisis that has been ongoing in the DRC since August 2018.

Monies will be used to implement cash-for-work programs to support the local economy, strengthen the resilience capacity of affected populations and curb the spread of the disease. This is just a few days after WHO declared the Ebola crisis in the DRC a public health emergency of international concern.

“The population and health workers that are in contact with the disease urgently need more assistance and resources from the international community to prevent this crisis from escalating within the country and spreading beyond borders,” said Kristalina Georgieva, Executive Director of the World Bank.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou