The Ebola outbreak affecting several African countries, with more than 900 confirmed or suspected cases and around 220 deaths, is hitting the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because in this case it has broken out in an area of the country already affected by an armed conflict. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has warned of the “catastrophic collision of diseases and conflicts” occurring in an overwhelmed province of Ituri. Therefore, he urged this Wednesday “all parties in conflict to agree to an immediate ceasefire to contain this outbreak.”
Tedros emphasized that the Bundibugyo Ebola virus “has no approved vaccine or treatment.” And to stop transmission, “humanitarian access” is essential. “But ongoing clashes are causing massive displacements, pushing exposed contacts into overcrowded camps and cutting critical containment corridors,” Tedros described in a message on social media.
“Frontline workers risk everything, while attacks on health centers make tracing cases and their contacts almost impossible. We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling,” emphasized the WHO chief.
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That is why he has called for that ceasefire to allow “safe and continuous access for medical teams.” And he added: “We beg that we prioritize human survival above all else.”
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