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Casablanca — African health leaders and global partners agreed Friday to strengthen regional coordination against the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, while warning that ten other African countries could be at risk.
The commitments were endorsed at a high-level ministerial cross-border meeting in Kampala, convened by Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya with health ministers from DR Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, alongside WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and technical partners.
Kaseya said the outbreak should not be treated as a Congolese problem alone. “This outbreak is not a DRC issue, it is a regional issue,” he said after the meeting.
Africa CDC said South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Congo-Brazzaville, Burundi, Angola, the Central African Republic, and Zambia are at risk. All except Ethiopia border DR Congo or Uganda.
So far, the outbreak has caused 96 confirmed cases and 11 confirmed deaths across DR Congo and Uganda. Another 867 suspected cases and 204 suspected deaths are under investigation.
Uganda confirmed on Saturday three new cases, bringing the country’s total to five. They include a Ugandan driver who transported the first confirmed patient, a health worker infected while treating that person, and a Congolese woman who arrived by plane.
DR Congo’s Health Minister, Dr Roger Kamba, said insecurity and laboratory limits slowed the early response. He said the laboratory in Bunia could not detect the Bundibugyo strain, forcing samples to be sent to Kinshasa.
Read also: Ebola-Hit DR Congo Faces Strict Isolation Rules Before World Cup
The meeting endorsed a unified response built around “one team, one plan, one budget, and one implementation model” under the continental Incident Management Support Team, jointly coordinated by Africa CDC and WHO. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni offered to host the team in Kampala.
Partners agreed to strengthen cross-border surveillance, early warning systems, laboratory capacity, infection prevention, and controls at official and unofficial entry points.
UNICEF said essential services, including education, routine healthcare, nutrition, and protection for children, girls, and women, must continue. UNFPA said women account for more than 60 percent of infections, mainly because many care for sick people at home.
Officials said about 264 million dollars may be needed for operations in DR Congo and Uganda, with another 54 million for preparedness in high-risk neighboring countries. Kaseya said the figures remain preliminary.
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