Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and Uganda threatens children’s lives
A deadly Ebola outbreak is unfolding across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, where the World Health Organization has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As of 2 June 2026, more than 370 cases and over 70 deaths have been confirmed in the DRC and Uganda – highlighting the virus’s extremely high mortality rate. Due to limited testing capacity and underreporting, the true scale of the outbreak is not yet clear.
Children are especially vulnerable, not only to the virus itself, which has no widely approved treatment for this strain, but to the wider impacts, including disrupted health care, loss of caregivers, stigma and increased protection risks. In eastern DRC, ongoing insecurity, population movement and limited access are increasing the risk of further spread, making rapid response critical to prevent more lives from being lost.
UNICEF is deploying a rapid response, having mobilised nearly 150 tonnes of essential supplies – including soap, water purification tables and personal protective equipment – and working alongside partners to contain the outbreak. But urgent support is needed to scale up efforts and reach children and their families before the situation worsens.
Millions of children around the world face devastating losses and uncertain futures caused by natural disasters, public health crises and ongoing wars and conflicts.
In places including Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Haiti and beyond, humanitarian emergencies are unfolding around the world. Children are losing their homes, schools and loved ones, and a lack of access to food, water and healthcare is causing immense challenges.
Globally, children live in severe food poverty, making them up to 50 per cent more likely to experience ‘wasting’, a life-threatening form of malnutrition. And although parents and caregivers are doing everything they can, devastatingly, children living in places like Sudan, Somalia and Yemen are at high risk of famine.
Your gift will make a difference.
We can’t stop emergencies from happening, but we can ensure that more children survive. That means being on the ground, delivering lifesaving support during emergencies and assisting with long-term support in the years after a crisis to help restore vital programs and ensure every child is healthy, educated and safe from harm.
We are working alongside our partners to provide urgent assistance to children and families caught in emergencies.
Every year, UNICEF responds to hundreds of emergencies, delivering lifesaving support, safeguarding children’s rights and protecting them from harm. From emergency relief to long-term development solutions, UNICEF is 100 per cent donor funded.
How will my donation help children?
When you donate to support our emergency work, you can help us reach the world’s most vulnerable children and their communities in places like Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Haiti and Myanmar. We’re there for every child, no matter what.
- $100 could provide 20,975 water purification tablets, enough to create safe water for drinking, washing and cooking for 225 children a month.
- $127 could help provide 252 sachets of Plumpy’Nut®, a therapeutic peanut paste, to help save the lives of two children with malnutrition.
- $430 could help provide two School-in-a-Box kits so 80 children can continue their education.
- 78¢on average, 78 cents to every dollar spent for the past three years went directly to helping children in need, including long-term programs, emergency response and community education.
- 22¢on average, 15 cents to every dollar spent for the past three years went to essential fundraising costs that helped us generate more impact for children, 7 cents went to admin costs, such as keeping your personal data safe.
How do we use each dollar donated?
Your gift will support children impacted by this emergency, and crisis around the world. If you choose to donate monthly or should we receive more funds than is needed for this emergency, your gift will support UNICEF's work where the need is greatest. Find out more about our financial management in our annual report.
When war breaks out or disaster strikes, you can make a difference.
UNICEF is on the ground, providing urgent assistance to children and their families. But we can’t do it alone. We need your help to always be there. No matter what.