'We’re with you': WHO chief rushes to Congo as Ebola outbreak worsens

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has made an urgent appeal for increased international support to contain a rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Arriving in Bunia, a severely affected area, Tedros stressed that delays in response and deep-seated mistrust within communities are significant obstacles.

"We are here to discuss with the community, to see how the response is running and if there are challenges to help," Tedros told reporters. He conveyed a message of solidarity, stating, "You’re not alone in this. We’re here, we’re with you, and we will see this through together."

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We are here to discuss with the community, to see how the response is running and if there are challenges to help.

Tedros highlighted the critical importance of "community ownership" in controlling the outbreak. This involves actively addressing misinformation and building trust around the disease response. While international aid is vital, he underscored that local cooperation and the experience within the DRC are paramount. "There is experience in this country and under the government’s leadership, and especially with community ownership, we can stop it," he affirmed.

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You’re not alone in this. We’re here, we’re with you, and we will see this through together.

The WHO chief also urged countries to reconsider travel restrictions and border closures, arguing they can discourage the reporting and transparency essential for effective outbreak control. He expressed confidence based on the DRC's history of successfully managing 16 previous Ebola outbreaks, noting this is the 17th.

The highly contagious hemorrhagic fever has spread across three eastern DRC provinces and into neighboring Uganda. Africa CDC figures indicate at least 1,077 suspected cases and 246 deaths in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, with nine confirmed infections and one death in Uganda. Health officials caution that the actual numbers could be considerably higher due to limited testing capacity and ongoing insecurity in the region. Aid efforts are underway, but organizations like Doctors Without Borders warn the outbreak is outpacing the response, noting an unprecedented number of cases so early in its declaration.

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There is experience in this country and under the government’s leadership, and especially with community ownership, we can stop it.