Right now, communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are battling the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded and they urgently need international support. In May 2026, an Ebola outbreak was first confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Uganda. The Bundibugyo variant of Ebola is one for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment. This outbreak is occurring in a challenging atmosphere: a fragile security context and a remote and densely populated area combined with insecurity, high movement of people and goods, and fragile health systems. This outbreak is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record with cases confirmed in 7 of 26 provinces for a total of more than 9,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,400 confirmed deaths.

The ongoing Ebola crisis across affected regions highlights both the profound challenges faced by local communities and the extraordinary importance of international relief efforts. The United States has committed $887 million to the response since May, the highest amount among all the donors. The Trump Administration also convened a meeting of the G20 foreign ministers in September which led to pledges totaling $2.9 million, surpassing the goal stated by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Now, those pledges need to be disbursed quickly and efficiently, so resources can be sent to support frontline health workers and control the outbreak.

While we thank the administration for committing this funding, we also recognize that the dismantling of USAID in 2025 probably contributed to the delay in confirming the outbreak and a timely response. Emergency response cannot substitute for investments in preparedness and training, which USAID was doing in partnership with other organizations, like the World Health Organization, which the Trump Administration formally withdrew from in January 2026.

The United Church of Christ has long been committed to the health of God’s children around the world. During Congo Week, we stand in solidarity with our siblings in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now is the time to learn more through Global Ministries resources and to call on leaders to provide greater aid.

Urge your members of Congress to hold the administration accountable and ensure the pledged funds to end the current Ebola outbreak are promptly transferred, in addition to re-investing in outbreak preparedness around the world through organizations like the World Health Organization, Gavi, and the Pandemic Fund.