DRC prime minister defends Ebola response
Judith Suminwa also discussed the country’s relationship with the US.
The prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Judith Suminwa, defended her country's Ebola response during a recent event in New York. Suminwa rejected the notion that the relationship between the DRC and the United States is solely about minerals, instead highlighting a broader economic partnership that includes infrastructure, energy, and local mineral processing.
At Semafor's The Next 3 Billion event, she also mentioned that the US is monitoring the Inga hydropower project on the Congo River, with a meeting scheduled for next month in Paris involving American participants.
Suminwa explained that the slow detection of Ebola cases in the DRC was due to the disease's symptoms resembling a benign illness, primarily malaria. As of September 20, the DRC had reported over 7,000 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,600 deaths, marking the fastest-growing outbreak on record. In response, the DRC government has allocated $50 million to the Ebola response, including $3 million for research. Partners have collectively mobilized hundreds of millions of dollars to support the effort.
Suminwa emphasized the need for further investment to strengthen the health system and prevent future outbreaks.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
