European Union supports Tanzania’s preparedness to respond to possible Ebola Viral Disease outbreak

Following the recent outbreak of the Ebola Viral Disease in neighbouring Uganda, the European Union has allocated 230m TZ Shs (100 000 euros) in humanitarian funding to help Tanzania take anticipatory action against the spread of the Ebola disease in the country. On 20 September 2022, Uganda declared an outbreak of the Ebola disease in the central region. The two countries share several points of entry, with many people conducting economic and leisure activities without any movement restrictions.

As of 11 November 2022, Uganda had reported 157 confirmed cases for the Ebola Virus-Sudan strain, with up to 74 confirmed deaths.

This EU funding will support the Tanzanian Red Cross Society in providing much-needed training and support to the country in preparedness for the Ebola threat in five high-risk regions (Mara, Kagera, Mwanza, Geita and Kigoma.) The Tanzanian Red Cross will conduct awareness-raising sessions to communities at risk, especially in the identified regions, which share a border with Uganda. The Red Cross Society will train volunteers to conduct community-based surveillance for early detection of Ebola, case management and eventual referrals of positive cases to health centres.

To counter the spread of myths, rumours and disinformation on Ebola, the Red Cross Society will run community communication campaigns to raise the public's and health workers' awareness on the risks of the Ebola disease, how to prevent it and what to do in case of infection. The communication outreach activities will also target local and religious leaders, training them to understand and not fear Ebola disease and to leverage their influence in communities. The communication activities will also include awareness messages broadcast on local radio stations as well the printing and distribution of flyers and posters.

The EU funding to the Tanzania Red Cross Society will also be used for training on Safe and Dignified Burials and to purchase burial and training kits. The funding will also procure chlorine and soap for hand washing at entry points at health centres in the targeted regions. The Red Cross Society will also organise training sessions in refugee camps in the country.

This is a Forecast-Based Early action, and the funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Beginning in November, this project will run for four months, targeting over 7,840,000 people in the five target regions.

Tanzania is one of the risk countries prioritized by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to enhance preparedness and operational readiness based on her proximity to the outbreak area, strong social and economic ties with Uganda as well as the country's capacity to manage an Ebola outbreak. This project is designed to prevent cross border transmission and ensure the country is prepared to respond in case of detection of Ebola in the country.

Background

The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is signatory to a €3 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to "small-scale" disasters - those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million.