Africa’s leading public health agency and health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have called for greater transparency over funding for the country’s Ebola response, saying more than $700 million in donor money remains unaccounted for in financial reports provided by aid organisations.
Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya said the issue was primarily a major transparency and financial reporting problem and that it was too early to conclude that any funds had been stolen or misused.
International donors have provided about $962 million to organisations carrying out Ebola response activities in Congo, rather than directly to the government, according to Kaseya.
However, only about one third of the organisations involved attended a recent meeting organised by Congo’s health ministry to review the funding. The participating organisations reported receiving $228 million, of which $127 million had been spent and about $100 million remained available.
The figures have left authorities without a complete picture of how much international funding has been received, where the money has been spent and how much remains available for the Ebola response.
Kaseya said the lack of financial information could create serious challenges for the response at a time when public trust in health workers and international aid organisations remains critical to controlling Ebola outbreaks.
Previous Ebola responses in Congo have faced allegations of corruption and favouritism, contributing to mistrust among communities and making it more difficult for health workers to gain cooperation.
Congo’s Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba also raised concerns about the issue on Thursday. He said organisations involved in the response are expected to provide the ministry with information on their sources of funding, the purpose of the funds and the progress of their activities.
Kaseya warned that organisations that fail to comply with financial reporting requirements could face restrictions on their operations in Congo and potentially be blacklisted across Africa.
The dispute comes as health authorities continue to rely heavily on international partners and donor funding to respond to Ebola and other public health emergencies. Clear financial reporting is therefore seen as important not only for accountability but also for maintaining confidence among governments, donors, health workers and affected communities.
Kaseya said authorities need a complete picture of the resources available before they can properly assess whether enough money is reaching frontline response efforts.
The Africa CDC and Congolese health ministry are now pushing aid organisations to provide fuller financial information, with the issue likely to remain closely watched as the Ebola response continues.
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