WHO Chief Visits DR Congo Amid Growing Ebola Outbreak

The World Health Organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. He aims to address a rare Ebola outbreak that continues to spread rapidly despite improvements in health infrastructure and new aid efforts.

Tedros plans to visit a treatment center, meet with local officials, health workers, and affected families in Bunia. He stated, “The best approach is to provide all necessary support to combat the disease at its epicenter and offer continued assistance.”

The WHO reported 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths as of Friday. Uganda has recorded nine cases and one death, according to its health ministry.

The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, currently spreading, lacks an approved treatment or vaccine. Tedros expressed confidence in overcoming this outbreak, highlighting the Democratic Republic of Congo’s history with the Ebola virus.

Recent medical aid from the European Union arrived in Ituri, the outbreak’s center, with more shipments expected. The U.S. committed an additional $80 million in aid, totaling over $112 million in support.

Efforts at Rwampara and General hospitals in Bunia are more organized, with added staff, protective gear, and medical supplies. However, the outbreak remains one of the fastest-spreading on record, warned Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Dr. Alan Gonzalez, MSF’s deputy director of operations, stressed the unknown scale of the outbreak and called for expanded testing, aid worker deployment, and continuous medical supply access.

Health workers face dangers, including attacks by residents unhappy with Ebola medical protocols that conflict with local burial practices. At least three attacks on health centers have been reported.

Security concerns are heightened by violence from the Allied Democratic Force, linked to the Islamic State, and ethnic militias. The outbreak affects other provinces like North Kivu and South Kivu, where the M23 rebel group controls major cities such as Goma and Bukavu, with two cases reported by the rebels.

Uganda and Rwanda have shut borders, and the U.S. imposed entry bans for non-citizens who visited Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan. Tedros argued that border closures and travel bans are ineffective in curbing the outbreak’s spread.

Tedros stated that such measures only hinder transparency, praising Congo’s open reporting of the situation. He urged countries to reconsider these actions.