Measles has killed three times as many people as Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in what the World Health Organisation (WHO) described as “the world’s worst measles epidemic”.

More than 6,000 people have died following the measles outbreak, with more than 310,000 cases reported in the country since the beginning of 2019. The WHO warned the outbreak would continue if more funding was not made available.

And despite $27.6m (£21m) having been mobilised in order to tackle the problem, the organisation said a further $40m was needed for a six-month vaccination programme that would protect children between the ages of six and 16.

“We recognise the government’s engagement in the efforts to end the outbreak and we are grateful for the generosity of our donors. But we still need to do more,” said Dr Amedee Prosper Djiguimde, the officer in charge of the WHO office in the DRC.

“Thousands of Congolese families need our help to lift the burden of this prolonged epidemic from their backs. We cannot achieve this without adequate finances.”

A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Show all 15 1 /15 A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Congolese basketball player Christ Wamba trains at the Alexandreio Melathron Nick Galis Hall with his team Aris Thessaloniki BC in Thessaloniki, Greece Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ on board a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel following a rescue operation, as he and other migrants tried to cross part of the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Lesbos in 2016 Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ enters the court after halftime during a friendly game between Aris Thessaloniki BC and Istanbul BB Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream A developer of the Athlenda start-up shows the profile of Congolese basketball player Christ Wamba on the Athlenda application Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ taking a selfie as he rests inside a tent at the Moria camp for refugees and migrants on the island of Lesbos in 2016 Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ during the Aris Thessaloniki BC's official photo shoot Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ as he lines up to receive food distribution at the Moria camp in 2016 Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ riding an indoor bicycle while watching a friendly game Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ sitting in his room in an apartment building, provided under the UNHCR's ESTIA housing programme in Thessaloniki, Greece Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ reacts during the friendly game Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ and former Greek basketball national team player and founder of the Athlenda start-up, Lazaros Papadopoulos laugh following a friendly game Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ training Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ throws his keys in the air as he chats with another tenant in the same apartment building Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Congolese basketball player Christ Wamba studies plays of Aris Thessaloniki BC inside his room in an apartment building, provided under the UNHCR's ESTIA housing programme in Thessaloniki, Greece, September 13, 2018. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis SEARCH "KONSTANTINIDIS WAMBA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS Reuters A migrant's journey: Congo to a Greek hoop dream Christ listens to instructions of Aris BC coach Vangelis Angelou during a friendly game Reuters

As well as needing additional funding to finance a vaccination programme in the county, health workers in DR Congo also face problems with infrastructure in-country that hampers the uptake of vaccinations – which have been available for several decades – while vaccination use is also low in areas of the country where armed groups are active.

“We are doing our utmost to bring this epidemic under control,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa. “Yet to be truly successful we must ensure that no child faces the unnecessary risk of death from a disease that is easily preventable by a vaccine.

“We urge our donor partners to urgently step up their assistance.”

It comes as health resources in the country are also under strain from the Ebola outbreak that has become the second-worst in history, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,231 people since August 2018.