The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have unveiled a $518 million emergency response plan aimed at containing the growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and preventing its spread to neighbouring countries.
The joint initiative, announced on Friday, will run from June to November 2026 and is designed to strengthen regional efforts to combat the outbreak, which has raised concerns across Central and East Africa.
The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 in northeastern DRC. However, health authorities believe the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus had been circulating undetected for some time before it was identified.
According to the latest figures released by the WHO, the DRC has recorded 381 confirmed cases and 64 deaths since the outbreak began.
The disease has affected three provinces in northeastern DRC, with Ituri Province emerging as the epicentre. Africa CDC estimates that Ituri accounts for about 90 per cent of confirmed infections and 76 per cent of all recorded fatalities.
The outbreak has also crossed into neighbouring Uganda, where authorities have confirmed 16 cases and one death.
Speaking during the launch of the plan, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the strategy focuses on key areas required to halt transmission and reduce the risk of further spread.
“The plan focuses on core areas: emergency coordination, surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, clinical care, and community engagement,” he said.
“This is a practical plan. It sets out what we need to do now, together, to contain the current outbreak and reduce the risk of further spread.”
Tedros noted that the initiative is both time-bound and fully costed, with an estimated budget of $518 million.
Health officials say the current outbreak has already surpassed the scale of the two previous recorded outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain, which occurred in 2007 and 2012.
The situation is further complicated by the absence of approved vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, making prevention, early detection and supportive care the primary tools available to health authorities.
The WHO and Africa CDC expressed confidence that coordinated action, adequate funding and strong community engagement would be critical in bringing the outbreak under control and preventing a wider regional health emergency.