WHO chief heads to Ebola-hit DR Congo

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is heading to the Democratic Republic of Congo to demonstrate solidarity and support as the nation confronts its latest deadly Ebola outbreak.

"I want you to know that you are not alone," Tedros stated in a message posted on X, addressing the Congolese people. "Together, we will overcome this outbreak." He vowed to commit "everything in my power to help you." As of May 24, the WHO has recorded 10 confirmed and 223 suspected Ebola deaths since the outbreak was declared on May 15, with confirmed and suspected cases exceeding 1,000. The organization warns that the actual spread may be wider, as the virus might have circulated undetected for some time.

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I want you to know that you are not alone. Together, we will overcome this outbreak.

This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC, a vast country of over 100 million people. The situation is complicated by the outbreak's epicenter being in the east, a region plagued by decades of violence from armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23, which has seized territory and intensified fighting.

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Conflict and displacement make everything harder. I am making a direct appeal to all warring parties in this region: please, declare a ceasefire. No cause, no conflict, no grievance is worth condemning innocent people to death from a preventable disease.

Tedros has appealed to the warring factions for a ceasefire, emphasizing the severe impact of conflict and displacement on containment efforts. "Conflict and displacement make everything harder," he said. "No cause, no conflict, no grievance is worth condemning innocent people to death from a preventable disease."

Meanwhile, Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), announced that a vaccine and treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, responsible for the current outbreak, are expected by the end of 2026. "What we can tell you for sure, by the end of this year, 2026, Africa CDC will make sure that we have a vaccine and medicine against Bundibugyo," Kaseya stated during an online briefing. Tedros is scheduled to arrive in the evening and will travel to Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, the outbreak's ground zero. Aid, including 4.6 tonnes from the WHO and 100 tonnes from UNICEF, has already arrived in Bunia.

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What we can tell you for sure, by the end of this year, 2026, Africa CDC will make sure that we have a vaccine and medicine against Bundibugyo.