Africa CDC Says Over $700 Million in Ebola Response Funds Unaccounted for in Congo

Africa CDC and Congolese health authorities called this week for greater transparency in the use of Ebola response funds, saying financial information from aid organisations left more than $700 million of donor money unaccounted for. Yahoo reported the concerns on October 16.

Kaseya Details the Ebola Funding Gap

Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), told Reuters it was too early to speak of embezzlement, but described the gap as a major transparency and financial reporting problem that prevented authorities from having a full picture of resources mobilised and spent.

International donors have disbursed about $962 million to organisations implementing Ebola response activities in Congo, rather than to the government, Kaseya said. Only about a third of implementing partners attended a recent meeting organised by Congo's health ministry and shared financial information, he said, adding that those organisations reported receiving $228 million, of which $127 million had been spent and roughly $100 million remained available.

Congo's health minister Samuel-Roger Kamba echoed Kaseya's concerns in a post on X on Thursday night, saying aid groups are required to provide details on funding sources, goals and the level of implementation to his ministry. Kaseya warned that non-compliant organisations could be barred from working in Congo and blacklisted across Africa.

Africa CDC's Funding and Scale

Africa CDC is the autonomous public health agency of the African Union, serving 55 AU Member States through continental disease surveillance, laboratory networks, outbreak response, workforce development, and the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing framework, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show Africa CDC secured $220.6 million from the Pandemic Fund for the Bundibugyo Project in 2026, expanding preparedness financing for viral hemorrhagic fevers, and appointed Dr. Jean Kaseya as Director General in February 2023.

Earlier Ebola Response Milestones

On September 28, 2026, G20+ foreign ministers met in New York and mobilised about $2.9 billion for the Ebola response, with Africa CDC welcoming the commitment while urging rapid disbursement and full transparency and traceability of every dollar, Allafrica reported. On October 7, 2026, Africa CDC expressed solidarity with Kenya after its first imported Bundibugyo Ebola case and the patient's death, and said it had mobilised about $2.9 billion for the response, Allafrica reported. On August 28, 2026, Africa CDC said Congo's Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak had surpassed 5,700 cases in under 15 weeks, exceeding the 2018-20 record of 3,310, NDTV Profit reported.

Next Steps for Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)

Kaseya said non-compliant organisations could be barred from working in Congo and blacklisted across Africa. Congo's health ministry and Africa CDC have called on implementing partners to provide details on funding sources, goals and the level of implementation.