WHO chief calls for urgent action on Ebola and pandemic preparedness

His call came as Ugandan authorities confirmed on Saturday that there were three new cases of the Bundibugyo strain Ebola a virus for which there is currently no cure or vaccine.

“The three new cases include a Ugandan health worker, a driver and a Congolese citizen who traveled from Ituri Province in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to receive medical treatment,” Tedros said in a post on social media. “This brings the total number of people in Uganda who have tested positive for Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus to five.”

WHO is working with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and its partners in Congo and Uganda, to contain the outbreak, support affected communities and help coordinate the response. On Friday, WHO raised the national risk assessment in Congo to “very high” – even though the global risk remains low.

Cross-border collaboration is important

In Kampala, Uganda, WHO held a two-day high-level ministerial meeting on cross-border coordination in response to the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.

Overcome Ministers from South Sudan, Congo and Uganda, Dr. Marie Roseline Belizaire, WHO Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response in Africa, stressed the need to strengthen and maintain cross-border collaboration to contain the outbreak.

He warned that a delay in response could have serious consequences and stressed that stronger surveillance and preparedness systems are essential because “time can save lives” during an outbreak.

Sustainable financial contribution

The Director-General appealed to Member States to continue to increase assessed financial contributions to ensure WHO remains strong, independent and able to respond to future global emergencies.

He also stressed that global agreements must be translated into practical actions that protect communities, contain outbreaks quickly, and ensure health services reach vulnerable populations.

“Every country becomes healthier and safer when all countries become healthier and safer,” he said.