MSF Warns Hundreds of Millions in Ebola Funds Are Unaccounted For in DR Congo

Hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to fight the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) are reportedly not reaching the frontline workers and communities that need them, according to medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

In a report, MSF warned that the outbreak remained “out of control”, with healthcare workers going unpaid, lacking proper training and struggling with shortages of essential medical supplies. In some cases, ambulances have reportedly run out of fuel.

More than 5,400 people have died and approximately 11,000 have been infected in DR Congo since the outbreak was declared in May, making it the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

MSF has called on the Congolese government and United Nations agencies to strengthen financial oversight and accountability to ensure that funds already released are being used effectively.

The organisation said frontline responders were being left without adequate resources despite the large sums allocated to the response.

Its report also highlighted surveillance teams that reportedly exist in official records but are not operating on the ground.

MSF President Javid Abdelmoneim described the situation as unacceptable, saying the charity’s teams had witnessed serious failures in the outbreak response six months after it began.

The warning follows concerns raised by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) last month. The agency said $700 million out of the $962 million disbursed to organisations implementing the Ebola response could not be accounted for.

Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya cautioned that it was too early to describe the missing funds as embezzlement, instead identifying major failures in transparency and financial reporting.

MSF also raised concerns about weaknesses in contact tracing, a key measure used to identify people who have been exposed to an infected person and prevent further transmission.

The charity said surveillance remained deeply problematic despite the resources allocated to it, adding that two-thirds of deaths were occurring in communities rather than treatment centres.

British epidemiologist Neil Ferguson reportedly estimated that more than half of Ebola cases were going undetected, suggesting the outbreak could continue for another year.

The report further criticised the uneven distribution of response resources, saying some areas were receiving excessive attention while others with urgent needs were being overlooked.

MSF described the response in North Kivu province as too slow, while saying Haut-Uélé province had been dramatically overlooked.

In both areas, the charity reported that healthcare teams lacked adequate resources and that some medical facilities were without essential supplies such as water, chlorine and proper patient-triage systems.

MSF warned that these shortages had turned some healthcare facilities into potential centres of transmission rather than places where patients could receive safe treatment.

The outbreak is centred in eastern DR Congo, a region affected by decades of conflict, with some areas under rebel control. Poor road networks have also made it difficult for health workers to reach affected communities.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus and has spread beyond DR Congo, with cases reported in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria.

However, Kenya recorded a significant development on Wednesday after its last known infected patient was discharged from hospital.

The Bundibugyo species is relatively rare and currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, although trials are ongoing.