Doha: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could pose a staggering threat to African economies: It shared that this would run the risk of potential losses running into billions of dollars and the elimination of tens of thousands of jobs.

According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement issued following the release of a new report on the outbreak's repercussions, the UNDP said the Ebola crisis could inflict economic losses of up to approximately $3.6 billion across Africa, while pushing nearly 985,000 people into poverty should the regional and global ramifications of the disease worsen.

The agency explained that the outbreak could wipe out tens of thousands of jobs while gnawing away at the education and healthcare sectors. The economic fallout could extend beyond the DRC to neighboring countries, particularly Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan, the statement continued. It warned that restrictions on movement and trade, despite their public health significance, could undermine local economies and workers' livelihoods in the informal sector, emphasizing that the implications are not confined to the health sector alone.

UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, said Ebola affects livelihoods, education, food security, trade, public finance, and public confidence. She warned against viewing the outbreak as merely a health crisis, given its far-reaching development implications.

According to the programme's estimates, even if the virus is successfully contained in the DRC and Uganda, economic losses could exceed $1 billion in the DRC's gross domestic product alone, with almost 55,000 jobs expected to be lost. The statement further noted that disruptions to commercial flows, border restrictions, and declining consumer confidence could trigger an additional $2.37 billion in GDP losses across Africa, even if the outbreak is contained. It added that the crisis, coupled with the consequences of conflicts in the Middle East, could result in the loss of as many as 328,000 jobs across Africa.

The statement called for a package of measures that includes direct cash transfers, support for the poorest segments of society, the adoption of targeted diagnostic protocols instead of blanket border closures, the implementation of prophylactic measures, as well as emergency financing mechanisms to safeguard essential health services.