Ebola outbreak

Health authorities have reported over 5,000 confirmed Ebola cases and over 2,000 deaths. The numbers are rapidly increasing and the true number is likely to be even higher than those officially recorded given ongoing challenges with tracing and testing. It is now the largest Ebola outbreak ever reported in DRC, and the second largest globally.  

The World Health Organisation has warned that this outbreak is on track to be the deadliest on record if it continues at its current pace.  

This outbreak is spreading through communities in the DRC where families are already facing conflict and displacement and healthcare is severely limited, making it harder to trace contacts and contain transmission.

Children are not only at risk of infection, but a multitude of knock-on effects– family separation, psychological distress, being cut off from routine healthcare and protection services, dropping out of school, child labour and early marriage.

There is currently no specific vaccine or treatment available for this Ebola strain, increasing the urgency of rapid contact tracing and prevention tactics.

Basic, lifesaving supplies—like protective equipment, disinfectant, and safe isolation spaces—are concerningly scarce in some areas. At the same time fear and misinformation risk accelerating the spread further.

Save the Children is working alongside health authorities and local partner NGOs in the DRC, rapidly mobilising to protect children and their families.

Donate now to our Children’s Emergency Fund, to help stop this outbreak, protect children, and save lives—before it spreads further. Children here cannot afford another crisis. 

Save the Children started working in the DRC in 1994 and has been responding since the outbreak was first announced. We're working alongside health authorities and local partner NGOs in the DRC, rapidly mobilising to help stop transmission, protect children and families and maintain access to essential services by:

• Supporting safe and functioning health facilities with PPE, infection control, and training up staff.
• Providing lifesaving information and hygiene kits to communities to stop transmission.
• Protecting children through child protection services, psychosocial support, and family tracing.
• Keeping children safe and learning through safe schools or alternative education and training up teachers on prevention and reporting.

We’ve already allocated $3.1 million from our Children’s Emergency Fund to kickstart our response in the DRC while continuing to meet existing humanitarian needs. We’ve also allocated over $1 million for response and preparedness activities in neighbouring countries. But we must urgently scale up.

As of 18th August, Save the Children has reached over 111,000 people, including nearly 58,000 children, through Ebola preparedness and response activities including infection prevention, community engagement, detection and referral of cases, and continuity of essential services. We have trained 700 health workers and education personnel on infection prevention and control and we're establishing Observation Care Centres to ensure children who need to quarantine after exposure to Ebola have a safe place to stay and receive care.

Our response goes beyond outbreak control. Ebola is placing additional pressure on communities already affected by conflict, displacement and food insecurity, increasing the risk that families lose access to essential services and support systems. Save the Children is working to ensure vulnerable children and families can continue to access these services safely throughout the crisis.

Time is critical. We’re already in a game of catch up. Every delay increases the risk of further spread, more deaths, and greater long-term impact on children. 

With your support, we can scale up interventions in the worst-impacted areas and be prepared to adapt quickly as the situation evolves.