Ebola Outbreak in Africa Faces Challenges Amid U.S. Aid Cuts

As the Ebola outbreak intensifies in Central and East Africa, public health officials have expressed concerns that the response is hindered by cuts to foreign aid and global health initiatives implemented by the Trump administration.

Amadou Bocoum, who directs CARE in the Democratic Republic of Congo, shared his frustrations with the situation: “We are no longer able to get some supplies. Because of that, we are not able to react immediately.” It’s troubling that essential medical supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizers, along with testing components, are scarce due to these funding reductions.

Interviews with several global health experts revealed that the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), among other financial cuts, has left a fragmented and overstretched system for disease prevention and response. This, of course, comes at a time when a reduced workforce is already struggling with burnout. One CDC employee, who has experience with outbreaks, remarked, “We are so far behind in this outbreak. This is a perfect storm.”

On May 16, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak an emergency “of international concern.” Currently, there is no vaccine or treatment available for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. As of May 19, there were over 530 confirmed cases and 134 deaths, with numbers swiftly rising. The CDC estimates that 25 to 50 percent of those infected will not survive.

Bocoum stressed the urgency of the situation: “People really need to understand that if this is not handled carefully, it will get wild very easily. It’s key that we react fast to contain it.”

This outbreak first emerged in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which shares borders with South Sudan and Uganda. Confirmed cases have already reached Kampala, the capital of Uganda, among travelers from Congo. There’s a significant influx of pilgrims expected to travel for an event, raising the stakes further. Although Uganda postponed its scheduled celebration due to these Ebola fears, the timely dissemination of this information—especially in rural areas—remains uncertain.

Back in February 2025, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had dismantled USAID, and a statement was made to Trump administration officials about the unintentional cuts to Ebola funding. Yet, as previously reported, essential lifesaving activities targeting Ebola and other infectious diseases weren’t reinstated. Additionally, the CDC faced severe budget cuts, further compromising global health efforts. By April 2025, the Trump administration had directed a National Institute of Health facility to cease its research on Ebola.

Before these cuts, USAID played a vital role in combating infectious diseases in the DRC. The U.S. embassy in Kinshasa reported in 2024 that USAID had provided treatment to 11 million individuals for illnesses like tuberculosis and HIV and had played a crucial part in managing six previous Ebola outbreaks.

A current CDC employee summed up the dire situation: “We’re missing a huge player in the response right now. We used to coordinate closely during these outbreaks with USAID because we may be able to deploy public health responders quickly. But USAID could mobilize funding and materials swiftly, which was one of their key strengths.”