Bunia, DRC — The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has arrived in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, emphasizing the critical role of local communities in combating the escalating Ebola outbreak. Confirmed cases have nearly doubled in two days, reaching 225, with the WHO declaring the situation a global health emergency. During his visit, Tedros highlighted the importance of community ownership in the response efforts. “.
The international community is involved under the leadership of the government of DRC, and at the same time, community ownership is important, “he. “.
The communities understand the problems better, and they know the solution, as well. “.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has been declared a global health emergency, with Doctors Without Borders describing it as one of the fastest — spreading Ebola outbreaks on record.
The situation has become increasingly challenging, with the disease spreading into neighboring Uganda and causing concern across the region.
The WHO has advised against border closures, arguing that such measures discourage countries from reporting outbreaks openly.
Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has expressed concern over the lack of global funding for the response, noting that funding has more than halved from $498 million to $219 million. Despite the challenges, the outbreak has recorded its first confirmed recovery this week, and the WHO is working with both DRC and Uganda to assess experimental drugs and a candidate vaccine.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
—
This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: aljazeera
Source: Faisal Ali and Reuters
