How Much Has The U.S. Committed In Fighting Ebola In West Africa?

Written by Kevin Mwanza

Oct 09, 2014

From Reuters via Yahoo News

The United States government has committed more than $350 million toward fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and is ready to deploy up to 4,000 military personnel by late October.

Most of a Defense Department request to shift $1 billion in war funds to the Ebola effort is locked up in Congress over lawmakers’ demands for more information on the mission from the Obama administration.

Here is a rundown of U.S. monetary commitments so far and the status of future funds:

FUNDS COMMITTED:

Various agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Pentagon and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), had committed to spend about $208 million through Oct. 3, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget.

This includes $2 million for personal protective equipment, $88 million to develop medical countermeasures; $10 million for community health workers; $20 million to expand laboratory capacity; $22 million for field hospitals; $1 million for security and $65 million for laboratory surveillance, logistics and relief commodities and disease detection activities.

PENDING FUNDS:

Congress approved $88 million in a stop-gap government funding measure, including $58 million to accelerate production and development of antiviral drugs and vaccines and $30 million for CDC personnel, equipment and supplies.