By Michael Gwarisa
African leaders, donors and international partners have pledged US$910 million towards containing the growing Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with health officials warning that delays in releasing funds could sharply escalate both infections and costs.
The commitments were announced following a High-Level Emergency Meeting convened by African Union Chairperson and President of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye, bringing together African Heads of State and Government, the African Union Commission, Africa CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), regional blocs, development partners and donors.
Of the total amount pledged, US$80 million was committed by African Union Member States, a contribution Africa CDC described as a strong demonstration of continental solidarity and African leadership in protecting public health.
The meeting endorsed urgent action to mobilise and disburse the US$518 million required for the Joint Continental Preparedness and Response Plan within the next four weeks.
The plan covers emergency response efforts in affected areas and preparedness activities in at-risk countries, including surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory strengthening, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication, community engagement, logistics, medical countermeasures and cross-border coordination.
“Our people will not judge us by our declarations, but by our ability to interrupt transmission, protect health workers, restore community trust, and guarantee dignified care for affected families,” said H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the African Union.
The outbreak has placed mounting pressure on frontline response systems, exposing gaps in contact tracing, supply availability, health worker protection, treatment capacity and access to communities affected by insecurity and population movement.
Africa CDC warned that failure to move rapidly could dramatically raise the cost of containing the outbreak.
“The Ebola outbreak is a stark reminder that health security is a shared continental responsibility requiring urgent, coordinated and sustained action. We must strengthen national and regional response plans, enhance cross-border coordination, and scale up preparedness, surveillance and containment measures to prevent further transmission,” said H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
He extended condolences to families affected by the outbreak and commended frontline responders and emergency teams working in impacted countries.
“I also express my appreciation to African Union Member States, development partners and humanitarian organisations for their solidarity and support. The African Union remains fully committed to working with all stakeholders to strengthen resilience, advance coordinated public health responses, and ensure that no Member State is left behind in addressing this shared challenge,” he added.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya said African governments had shown readiness to invest in their own health security.
“African countries have stepped forward with US$80 million in commitments. This matters. It shows that Africa is taking responsibility for its own health security while calling on partners to align behind one plan, one budget and one team,” said Kaseya.
“The priority now is speed. Every pledge must translate into financing, supplies, people and support reaching the communities and responders on the ground.”
WHO reaffirmed support for affected countries and for the Africa CDC-led response, including surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory support, case management, infection prevention and control and community engagement.
“Under the leadership of DRC’s government and neighbouring nations, and with sustained regional and international support, we can defeat this Ebola outbreak, as we have with previous outbreaks,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Strong cross-border cooperation among affected countries and neighbours will be critical for both the Ebola response and in addressing wider humanitarian needs.”
He added that outbreak response efforts must continue alongside essential health services.
“Even as we respond to this outbreak, we must also strengthen the essential health services people rely on for other pressing needs, including malaria, measles, malnutrition and safe childbirth.”
One of the strongest messages to emerge from the meeting was the need to strengthen contact tracing.
Africa CDC and WHO said they would support affected and at-risk countries to achieve 90 to 95 percent monitoring of all identified contacts throughout the 21-day incubation period, amid reports of persistent gaps in follow-up, supply chains and operational access.
Officials also urged countries to avoid unnecessary travel and trade restrictions not grounded in public health evidence and called for uninterrupted movement of medical supplies, essential goods and response teams.
The meeting welcomed CEPI’s commitment of more than US$60 million to accelerate clinical development of vaccine candidates for the Bundibugyo strain and called for stronger African participation across research, manufacturing, regulation and future access arrangements.
Africa CDC said it would establish a weekly commitment tracker to monitor pledges, disbursements, technical support, medical countermeasures and operational gaps as pressure grows to convert commitments into action.
