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U.S. Officials Criticize Response to Congo Ebola Outbreak
Former federal employees say the U.S. response to a new Ebola outbreak in Congo has been slow and disjointed after the Trump administration restructured USAID last year. The State Department has denied that the changes affected detection or response capabilities.
May 20, 7:40 PM·2m read1 source
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U.S. Agency for International Development last year. The outbreak was identified last week in Congo, though the virus was likely spreading undetected for weeks prior. As of Wednesday, the World Health Organization reported 139 suspected deaths and 600 cases, though the true numbers are feared to be much higher.
Until last year, USAID formed part of a coordinated system for responding to Ebola outbreaks. The Trump administration canceled the majority of USAID programs and fired most of its staffers, with roughly 1,000 programs absorbed into the State Department.
Enrich, former acting assistant administrator for global health at USAID, said the loss of speed has been the most significant impact. He said USAID programs could have helped laboratories in Congo detect the virus earlier and sped up distribution of protective equipment.
Dr. Daniel Bausch, visiting faculty at the Geneva Graduate Institute and a former CDC medical officer, said community health workers with experience from past outbreaks have since found other jobs. He said the cadre of trained local personnel is no longer available.
U.S. funding cuts forced it to downsize its presence in Ituri province, where the outbreak is centered. Heather Reoch Kerr, the group's country director for Congo, said many facilities in affected areas are operating without basic protective supplies.
The State Department has denied that changes to USAID have hampered Ebola detection or response capabilities. Spokesman Tommy Pigott said it is false to claim that USAID reform has negatively impacted the ability to respond to Ebola. The department said it mobilized $23 million in foreign assistance to support surveillance, laboratory capacity, and clinical case management.
It also announced a plan to fund up to 50 clinics for emergency screening, triage, and isolation. The CDC said its offices in Congo and Uganda are helping with surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, contact tracing, and distributing protective equipment.
