The United Nations has warned that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could cost African economies up to $3.6 billion, eliminate tens of thousands of jobs and push nearly one million more people into poverty if the crisis worsens.
In a statement, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said the outbreak is triggering a far-reaching socioeconomic crisis beyond its immediate public health impact.
“The Ebola crisis also risks eliminating tens of thousands of jobs, disrupting education and healthcare services, and costing African economies up to $3.6 billion if broader regional and global shocks intensify,” the UNDP said.
According to the agency, the outbreak could push an estimated 985,000 people into poverty, with women expected to bear a disproportionate share of the economic burden. The impact would be felt most in the DRC and neighbouring countries, including Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.
The UNDP cautioned that while quarantine measures and other containment efforts remain essential, restrictions on travel and trade are severely affecting local economies and informal livelihoods.
In the DRC, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 1,333 confirmed Ebola cases, 399 deaths, and 189 recoveries. Uganda has also confirmed 20 cases of the virus.
UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, said the consequences of the outbreak extend far beyond the health sector.
“Ebola does not stop at the hospital gate. It affects livelihoods, education, food security, trade, public finances and trust. If we treat this Ebola outbreak solely as a health challenge, we risk missing the much larger development emergency unfolding around it,” she said.
The agency projected that even if the outbreak is successfully contained in the DRC and Uganda, the economic impact would remain significant, with the DRC alone expected to suffer more than $1 billion in GDP losses and the loss of approximately 55,000 jobs.
