Speaking in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and the epicenter of the outbreak, Tedros said local communities must remain at the center of the response to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
“We are not here to tell people what to do. We are here to listen,” he said at a press briefing. “Communities understand their own challenges and their own solutions. Our role is to support you in implementing these solutions together.“
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrives at Bunia airport in Ituri, one of the three provinces hit hard by the Ebola outbreak.
The outbreak continues to develop rapidly.
Per As of May 27, 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths have been reported in the DRC. In both DRC and Uganda, 134 confirmed cases and 18 confirmed deaths per May 29. In addition, a US citizen who had treated patients in the DRC is currently receiving treatment in Germany.
Building trust
Tedros used his visit to meet with government officials, community leaders, humanitarian agencies and health partners, stressing that public trust and community participation would be critical to stopping transmission.
“Community ownership is what will end this outbreak,he said.
He expressed hope to engage with women’s groups, religious leaders, business representatives and young people during his visit, describing trust-building as a process that “starts with listening.”
The UN health agency has increasingly focused on working through community networks, including local leaders, radio stations and social media influencers, to combat misinformation and encourage early detection and treatment.
Timely medical attention is essential
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a relatively rare strain of Ebola that was first identified in Uganda in 2007.
Although no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists, Tedros emphasized that survival is possible with timely medical care.
“Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus can be survived with good medical care and some people here in Ituri have already recovered,” he said. “Seeking care early makes a real difference.“
WHO and its partners are also pursuing clinical trials aimed at developing vaccines and treatments for the strain.
A WHO staff sets up a tent to expand capacity at a hospital in Ituri, DR Congo.
Protection of essential services
Meanwhile efforts continue to expand.
WHO has provided more than 2,000 diagnostic test kits and helped strengthen screening capacity at key transport hubs. The agency is also improving water systems at Ebola treatment centers to support infection prevention and control.
There are also deep concerns that the outbreak risks disrupting wider health services in affected areas.
The UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said health facilities are increasingly diverting staff, supplies and infrastructure towards Ebola response activities, reducing access to services such as emergency caesarean sections, neonatal care, contraception and postnatal support.
To help maintain these services, UNFPA is deploying midwives, reproductive health kits and medical equipment while supporting a regional response plan involving the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
‘We are here with you’
Tedros said the response must extend beyond the immediate outbreak and stressed that the WHO
“As we fight this outbreak with you, we are committed to ensuring that other essential health services and humanitarian assistance continue to be provided to communities across Ituri and beyond,” he said.
He also expressed confidence that the outbreak can be contained.
“DRC has been exposed to Ebola before, sixteen times, and has ended every outbreak,” he said. “This is the seventeenth. That story really gives me confidence.”
Concluding his remarks, Tedros sought to reassure affected communities.
“You are not alone in this,he said.We are here, we are with you, and we will see it through together.“
