IOM Director General Amy Pope Appeals for Urgent Support as DRC Faces 'Largest Ebola Outbreak' on Record

International Organization for Migration Director General Amy Pope said 22 September 2026 that 'this is the largest Ebola outbreak the DRC has faced, putting families affected by conflict and crisis under even greater strain,' warning 'we urgently need more support to sustain this work and protect communities in the DRC and neighboring countries.' IOM said its teams are working alongside local health authorities to detect risks early and help people access care, and that 'close cooperation across borders is vital to containing the disease.' The agency said it has supported over 33 million health screenings since the outbreak was declared in May, including at the Bende-Bende point of control on the Congo River, where roughly 1,000 screenings are conducted daily, and has coordinated cross-border measures with Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda and the Central African Republic to reduce transmission risk along major travel routes and riverine corridors. IOM appealed for USD 110 million for its multi-country response plan, of which roughly USD 29.6 million (about 27%) has been received to date — a funding stream distinct from the DRC national response plan's separate $1.3 billion, 49%-funded 180-day budget. The appeal cited over 7,400 confirmed cases and more than 3,600 deaths as of 16 September, already the largest Ebola outbreak in DRC's history.