World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged stronger international support to stop the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning that delayed responses and mistrust within communities are hindering efforts to control the virus.Tedros made the appeal on Saturday after reaching Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, one of the worst-affected areas.Speaking to journalists, he said the international community was already assisting the DRC government, but stressed that more funding and stronger community involvement were urgently needed.“We are here to discuss with the community, to see how the response is going and what challenges there are in helping,” Tedros said, according to news agency AFP.He added, “You are not alone in this. We are here, we are with you, and we will get through this together.”
Call for restoration of confidence amid increasing cases
Tedros stressed that controlling the outbreak will require “community ownership”, including addressing misinformation and mistrust about the response to the disease.He also said that although international aid is important, local cooperation remains vital. “This country has experience and with government leadership, and especially with community ownership, we can stop this,” he said, according to AFP.The WHO chief urged countries that impose travel bans or border closures to reconsider such steps, saying they could discourage the reporting and transparency that are needed to control the outbreak.“The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced Ebola 16 times before, and has eliminated every outbreak. This is the 17th. That history gives me real confidence,” Tedros said at a news conference, according to news agency AP.
Spread rapidly in Congo and Uganda
The outbreak, caused by the highly contagious hemorrhagic fever Ebola, has already spread to three eastern DRC provinces and neighboring Uganda. There have been at least 1,077 suspected cases and 246 deaths in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, according to Africa CDC data, as well as nine confirmed infections and one death in Uganda.Health officials have warned that the true scale of the outbreak may be much larger due to limited testing capacity and insecurity in the area.
Aid efforts and challenges on the ground
Medical aid has begun to arrive in Bunia, including supplies from the European Union, while the United States has also announced additional funding assistance. However, humanitarian agencies say the response is still struggling to keep pace with the spread of the outbreak.Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that the outbreak was moving faster than the response, saying, “Never before have so many cases been recorded so soon after the declaration of an Ebola outbreak”.The organization called for expanded testing, faster deployment of health workers and better access to medical supplies.Health facilities in Ituri province reported ongoing challenges, including insecurity, limited infrastructure, and repeated attacks on medical centers, further complicating response operations.
Vaccine discovery and prevention measures
The type of Ebola behind this epidemic, Bundibugyo virus, currently has no approved treatment or vaccine. However, health officials said potential vaccines are being evaluated for clinical trials, and a candidate could be ready later this year.For now, WHO says containment relies on traditional measures such as surveillance, contact tracing, isolation, infection prevention and safe burial practices.Uganda has closed its border with the DRC and imposed quarantine measures for arrivals, while displacement camps in eastern Congo remain at high risk due to overcrowding and poor sanitation, raising fears of further spread.