The World Food Programme (WFP) has called for food assistance to be made a central part of the ongoing response to an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, warning that the health emergency is unfolding in communities already grappling with conflict, displacement and severe hunger.
WFP Country Director David Stevenson said the response could not focus solely on medical care, stressing that food insecurity was making it increasingly difficult for affected families to comply with health protocols and support efforts to contain the outbreak.
According to Stevenson, more than 500,000 people in Ituri province are facing IPC Phase 4 food insecurity, placing them just one step away from famine.
He warned that the Ebola outbreak was spreading faster than the humanitarian response, making additional resources urgently necessary to reach vulnerable communities, particularly those in remote areas.
The WFP is currently supporting the response through logistics, humanitarian flights and supply-chain operations, while providing hot meals at Ebola treatment centres.
The agency is also supporting the construction of treatment facilities as part of broader efforts to strengthen the emergency response.
However, Stevenson said increased funding was needed to expand food assistance to hard-to-reach communities and support families bearing the brunt of the crisis.
He stressed that addressing hunger alongside healthcare would be critical to ensuring that affected communities can safely access treatment, follow public health measures and contribute to efforts to contain the outbreak.
The WFP’s warning underscores the growing humanitarian challenges facing eastern DR Congo, where conflict and displacement have compounded existing food insecurity and made emergency response efforts increasingly difficult.
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