The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved an additional $3.4 million to combat the growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. This brings WHO’s total emergency funding allocation to $3.9 million, part of a broader international response to contain the spread.
Speaking during a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that the organisation has formally classified the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to concerns over the possibility of wider regional spread.
Already, the suspected death toll has climbed to 139.
Tedros stated that the declaration followed consultations with authorities in both countries and was made under the International Health Regulations to facilitate urgent global mobilisation and coordination.
The UN body noted that a United States citizen infected while working in the DRC had been evacuated to Germany for treatment.
WHO data showed that 51 Ebola infections have been officially confirmed in the DRC, mainly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, including Bunia and Goma, while Uganda has recorded two confirmed infections in Kampala, one of which resulted in death.
Tedros observed that the actual scale of the outbreak could be much higher, with close to 600 suspected cases already identified alongside 139 suspected deaths.
He noted that the virus had now spread into multiple urban locations, while infections among healthcare workers suggested ongoing transmission within medical facilities.
Tedros observed that worsening insecurity, population displacement, and movement linked to mining activities in eastern DRC are increasing the likelihood of cross-border transmission.
According to him, the renewed violence in Ituri Province since late 2025 has displaced more than 100,000 people, further complicating containment efforts.
He expressed concern over the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak, noting that there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for the variant.
Tedros stated that WHO moved quickly because delaying action could result in more deaths and broader international spread of the disease.
He commended the governments of the DRC and Uganda for cooperating with response efforts, including Uganda’s decision to suspend the annual Martyrs’ Day gathering due to public health concerns.
WHO stated that the fresh funding, drawn from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, increases the agency’s total allocation for the outbreak response to $3.9 million.
The organisation added that emergency teams, medical supplies, and technical personnel have already been deployed to affected areas to support surveillance, treatment, and containment operations.
