📋 Tender Overview
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KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says Ebola has spread to a ninth regional area by reaching an eighth province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where affected families are struggling to access food while following treatment and isolation guidance. In response, WFP is delivering food assistance, supporting the construction of Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs), and providing logistics, telecommunications and air services that help health partners reach communities.
WFP says it needs USD 214 million over the next six months to sustain food assistance and related emergency operations across conflict-affected and hard-to-reach parts of eastern DRC as the outbreak reaches areas with limited services and deep humanitarian needs.
Background: Ebola, hunger and access constraints
WFP reports that across Ebola-affected areas, nearly 3.5 million people face Crisis-level hunger or worse, classified as IPC Phase 3 or above. Among people directly affected by the outbreak, WFP states that 97 percent still require food assistance.
The agency says Ebola disrupts markets, livelihoods and movement, making it harder for households to obtain food at the same time that families may be unable to leave treatment or isolation settings. WFP also links the widening impact to conflict, displacement and limited capacity to absorb additional shocks.
WFP response: food assistance and support for treatment capacity
WFP says its food and nutrition assistance helps patients and families during treatment, isolation and recovery. The approach is intended to reduce pressure to travel in search of food, while enabling frontline health teams to continue operating.
According to WFP, it has delivered more than 744,000 hot meals across 59 treatment and isolation facilities, and distributed over 3,000 metric tons of food to patients families. WFPs six-month plan includes dry rations for more than half a million relatives of patients and suspected cases, to maintain access to food during treatment or isolation.
Enabling health partners through logistics and air services
WFP also supports the broader Ebola response through common services used by responders and humanitarian partners. WFP reports that the Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster it leads has established two logistics bases, including a Forward Logistics Base in Isiro, and nine mini bases across Ituri and Haut-Uele to support storage, cargo handling and last-mile delivery.
WFP says its United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which it manages, has flown 1,255 flights carrying 10,272 responders and 483 metric tons of cargo since the response began. The agency adds that adverse weather has disrupted UNHAS operations in parts of the region, including around Mahagi, Bunia and Isiro.
In addition, WFP states that the cluster supported storage of 3,417 metric tons of humanitarian supplies for 43 partner organizations. It says the cluster facilitated delivery of 2,653 metric tons of critical relief items by air and road, including medicines and personal protective equipment.
Building Ebola Treatment Centres amid insecurity and heavy rains
WFPs operations also include engineering support for treatment infrastructure. The agency says it delivered Musienenes first Ebola Treatment Centre in under two months from request to operational handover, despite insecurity, access constraints and heavy rains.
WFP says engineers continue designing and building treatment centres for the Government, the World Health Organization (WHO) and medical partners. Construction for another Ebola Treatment Centre is underway in Bunia, while WFP says four further ETCs are envisaged but not yet operational, including one in Goma.
WFP adds that following newly suspected cases, reconnaissance flights are being arranged to assess access to Bole-Bole (Haut-Uele), Yakoma (North Ubangi) and Biakato (Ituri).
Funding needs and operational challenges
WFP says its six-month emergency response in eastern DRC requires USD 214 million to support life-saving food, logistics and UNHAS operations. The agency specifies that this includes USD 78.6 million for hot meals and dry rations for people directly affected by Ebola and their families.
WFP warns that timely, flexible funding is needed to sustain food assistance, flights, cargo movements and treatment infrastructure as the outbreak reaches communities with limited services. It also notes that insecurity, poor roads and limited local capacity delay access and deliveries, while weather disruptions can interrupt air operations.
Key Details
Initiative/Programme: WFP Ebola response combining food assistance, logistics and support for Ebola Treatment Centres
Lead organization: World Food Programme (WFP)
Partners: Government, WHO and medical partners; supported deliveries for multiple partner organizations (details not specified)
Funding amount: USD 214 million requested for the next six months
Geographic focus: Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (including Ituri and Haut-Uele; logistical bases in Isiro, and mini bases across Ituri and Haut-Uele)
Target groups: People directly affected by Ebola, including patients, suspected cases and their relatives; frontline responders and humanitarian partners receiving logistics and air services
Duration or timeline: Six-month plan
Expected reach/outcomes (reported to date and planned): More than 744,000 hot meals delivered across 59 treatment/isolation facilities; over 3,000 metric tons of food distributed to patients families; dry rations for over half a million relatives of patients and suspected cases (as part of the six-month plan); logistics bases and last-mile support for partner organizations; UNHAS flights and cargo transport to enable response operations
Why This Matters
WFPs announcement highlights how Ebola response planning increasingly relies on integrated operat
