UN Warns Ebola Outbreak Could Inflict $3.6 Billion Blow on Africa
GENEVA— The United Nations warned on Tuesday that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa could cost the continent up to $3.6 billion in economic losses and eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs if the disease spreads beyond its current hotspots, underscoring the growing risk of a broader development crisis.
The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment, has infected 1,307 people and claimed 377 lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo since authorities declared the outbreak on May 15, according to the Congolese government.
A smaller number of infections has also been reported in neighboring Uganda, while health experts have cautioned that the virus could spread to additional countries, including South Sudan.
Damien Mama, the United Nations Development Programme’s resident representative in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said swift international action and adequate funding remained critical to containing the outbreak before its economic consequences deepen.
“If we have the resources and we step up, we can contain this outbreak and prevent further losses,” Mama said. He warned that failure to contain the virus could transform the health emergency into a prolonged regional development crisis.
In a new assessment, the UNDP outlined three possible scenarios for the outbreak’s economic impact. Under the most favorable scenario, where transmission remains confined largely to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the outbreak would reduce Congo’s gross domestic product by an estimated $1 billion.
Under the worst-case scenario, the disease spreads to additional countries, including Rwanda and Angola, while higher fuel prices linked to the Iran crisis further weaken economic activity. In that case, Africa’s gross domestic product could decline by as much as $3.6 billion and approximately 328,000 jobs could be lost, according to the report.
The UN warning highlights the potential for infectious disease outbreaks to generate significant economic disruption beyond their immediate public health consequences, particularly in regions already facing multiple humanitarian and economic challenges.
