The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, has said Africa will struggle to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak unless an additional $1.4 billion is mobilised to strengthen the continent's response.

Speaking at the African Union Extraordinary Health Summit at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Dr Kaseya said community transmission of the disease remains alarmingly high.

According to him, more than 60 percent of Ebola-related deaths are occurring within communities, while health authorities have no information on the whereabouts of nearly 30 percent of confirmed cases.

"This summit is very serious because we are here to discuss health security. If we don't control this outbreak, everything we are doing today won't make sense," he said.

Dr Kaseya noted that the estimated funding required to tackle the outbreak has increased from an initial $518 million to $1.4 billion.

"If we don't raise this money, the outbreak won't stop," he warned.

He, however, commended African countries for their commitment, revealing that although the continent had set a fundraising target of $100 million, member states have already mobilised about $110 million.

He also welcomed Ghana's intention to make a financial pledge during the summit to support efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak.