The head of the World Health Organisation has appealed directly to armed groups operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to declare a ceasefire, warning that ongoing violence is obstructing efforts to contain a growing Ebola outbreak centred in the conflict-hit province of Ituri.
Ahead of his visit to affected areas, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health workers must be allowed safe access to communities as authorities and aid agencies race to stop the spread of the virus.
“That is why today I am making a direct appeal to all warring parties in this region: please, declare a ceasefire. Even briefly. Even just enough to let health workers through,” Tedros said in a message addressed to communities in eastern Congo.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola for which no approved vaccines or treatments currently exist, has infected at least 105 people and killed 10 in the DRC since mid-May, according to WHO figures released Wednesday. Neighboring Uganda has also reported seven confirmed cases and one death, raising concerns about regional spread.
Nearly 90 percent of infections have been recorded in Ituri province, where decades of armed conflict, displacement and weak infrastructure have repeatedly complicated humanitarian responses.
The appeal underscores how insecurity remains one of the biggest obstacles to controlling disease outbreaks in eastern Congo, where armed groups operate across large swathes of territory and attacks on civilians and aid workers have frequently disrupted health operations.
“This is one of our greatest challenges,” Tedros said. “We cannot do this work if those who are trying to help are prevented from doing so or put in danger.”
The current crisis marks the 17th Ebola outbreak in Congo since the virus was first identified near the Ebola River in 1976. The country’s deadliest recent epidemic, which struck North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri between 2018 and 2020, killed more than 2,200 people and unfolded amid armed conflict and deep public mistrust toward response teams.
Health experts say the latest outbreak presents additional complications because it involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has fewer medical countermeasures than the more common Zaire strain responsible for most previous Congolese outbreaks.
Residents in Ituri are already grappling with multiple crises, including displacement, food insecurity and endemic diseases such as malaria.
“I know that many of you are exhausted,” Tedros said in his message to communities. “You are already carrying so much: malaria, hunger, insecurity, and the daily struggle to keep your families safe. And now Ebola.”
WHO and partner agencies have been supporting authorities in both DRC and Uganda since May 15 in efforts to strengthen surveillance, contact tracing and treatment services.
Tedros said international agencies would remain in affected areas for as long as necessary but warned that without improved security conditions, containing the outbreak would become significantly more difficult.
“No cause, no conflict, no grievance is worth condemning innocent people to death from a preventable disease,” he said.
