More than $700 million in international funding allocated to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ebola response remains unaccounted for in financial reports submitted by humanitarian organisations, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The African health agency and Congolese authorities have demanded greater transparency from aid organisations managing donor funds, warning that inadequate financial reporting could undermine efforts to contain the country’s worsening Ebola outbreak.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya told Reuters on Thursday that international donors had disbursed approximately $962 million to organisations implementing Ebola response programmes rather than directly to the Congolese government.
However, only about one-third of the organisations involved attended a recent financial accountability meeting convened by Congo’s health ministry.
Those that participated reported receiving $228 million, spending approximately $127 million and retaining around $100 million in available funds.
The figures leave more than $700 million in donor disbursements without corresponding financial disclosures to Congolese authorities.
Kaseya stressed that the discrepancy should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of corruption or embezzlement, describing it instead as a serious transparency and financial reporting failure.
He warned that the absence of comprehensive financial records prevented health authorities from accurately assessing the resources available to combat the outbreak.
Congolese Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba echoed those concerns in a statement published on X on Thursday, insisting that humanitarian organisations disclose their funding sources, operational objectives and progress in implementing donor-supported programmes.
Kaseya warned that organisations failing to meet financial reporting requirements could face restrictions on operating in Congo and potentially be blacklisted from humanitarian activities elsewhere in Africa.
The controversy comes as Congolese authorities struggle to contain a major Ebola outbreak amid continuing challenges involving public trust, healthcare access and coordination between international organisations and local institutions.
Previous Ebola responses in the country have been overshadowed by allegations of corruption, favouritism and mismanagement, contributing to distrust of health workers and international aid agencies.
Health officials fear that renewed questions over financial accountability could further complicate containment efforts at a critical stage of the epidemic.
The Africa CDC has called for greater coordination and financial oversight to ensure international assistance reaches affected communities and supports frontline health operations.
