The $1.4 billion package is urgently needed, but it's only a fraction of what Congo's Ebola crisis demands. The outbreak reflects centuries of extraction and neglect, while global demand for cobalt, gold and coltan leaves Congo's health system underfunded. A vaccine might already exist if this disease had first threatened wealthy nations. The world cannot keep profiting from Congo's mineral wealth while neglecting its public health.

The proposed $1.4 billion emergency package is urgently needed, but Africa cannot rely on emergency appeals whenever a major outbreak strikes. African governments must invest far more in disease surveillance, laboratories, vaccine research and rapid-response systems. International support remains essential, but lasting health security will ultimately depend on sustained domestic investment rather than continued dependence on foreign donors.