A World Health Organization (WHO) official revealed today, Tuesday, that the shortage of trained staff, executive partners, and funding hampers efforts to scale up the fight against the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the disease continues to spread, according to Reuters.
The organization stated in a statement reviewed by the "News Video Agency" that the virus has spread beyond the epicenter of Bunya, where it was first detected, to 6 other regions, prompting authorities to adopt a decentralized strategy by establishing treatment centers closer to newly affected communities.
According to the WHO, the death toll from the "Bundi Bugio" strain of the Ebola virus in Congo has exceeded 3,175 cases, along with more than 6,000 infections, as the worst outbreak in Congo continues to spread in the northeastern part of the country.
Luca Fontana, a technical official at the WHO, noted that nearly 1,400 treatment beds have already been provided across 59 centers, which he described as one of the fastest expansions in establishing centers witnessed during his tenure at the organization, including during the Ebola outbreak that swept West Africa from 2014 to 2016.
He added, "Despite this extraordinary effort, our estimates indicate the need for an additional 1,600 beds."
The organization also estimates that each treatment bed requires 3 staff members, which means that the planned capacity of 3,000 beds would require around 9,000 staff members.
This necessitates the hiring and training of approximately 5,000 additional health workers.
Fontana reported that the number of international organizations capable of managing Ebola treatment centers is limited, partly due to the ramifications of declining international funding.