Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) have sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the State Department to release $608 million in aid for women and infants impacted by an Ebola outbreak in East Africa. The senators requested the distribution of $1.7 million in family-planning supplies, which include condoms and hormonal contraception, currently stored in Belgium. They expressed concern that if these supplies are not utilized, they may be destroyed.
The letter highlights the severe risks associated with Ebola during pregnancy, noting a nearly 100% fetal loss rate and high maternal mortality risk due to hemorrhaging. The senators emphasized that providing access to family planning and healthcare could prevent further deaths among women and fetuses exposed to the virus. They also called for a humanitarian exception to support existing health clinics run by the United Nations Population Fund in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
As of July 29, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 3,532 Ebola cases and 1,556 deaths in the DRC, with a mortality rate of approximately 44%. Uganda has reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. Murkowski and Shaheen warned that the rapid spread of the virus necessitates immediate action to save lives and stated that the cost of the U.S. response is nearing $1 billion. They argued that investing in voluntary family planning is both fiscally sensible and morally urgent.