Speaking in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that local communities must remain at the heart of the response to the Bundibugyo Ebola strain, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.
“We are not here to tell people what to do. We are here to listen,” Tedros stated during a press conference. “Communities understand their own challenges and their own solutions. Our role is to support you in implementing those solutions together.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrives at Bunia airport in Ituri, one of the three provinces affected by the Ebola outbreak.
The outbreak continues to evolve rapidly. As of May 27, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths. By May 29, 134 confirmed cases and 18 confirmed deaths were recorded across the DRC and Uganda. Additionally, an American citizen treating patients in the DRC is currently receiving treatment in Germany.
Building Trust
Tedros utilized his visit to meet with government officials, community leaders, humanitarian organizations, and health partners, stressing that public trust and community engagement are crucial for ending the epidemic. “It is community ownership that will make this epidemic end,” he said. Tedros expressed hope to interact with women’s groups, religious leaders, business representatives, and youth during his visit, noting that building trust is a process that “starts with listening.” The UN health agency is increasingly focusing on working through community networks, including local leaders, radio stations, and social media influencers, to combat misinformation and promote early detection and treatment.
Timely Medical Care is Vital
The virus causing the epidemic is the Bundibugyo virus, a relatively rare strain of Ebola first identified in Uganda in 2007. Although there is no approved vaccine or treatment, Tedros highlighted 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 have already recovered in Ituri,” Tedros said. “Seeking early care makes a real difference.” WHO and its partners are also conducting clinical trials aimed at developing vaccines and treatments for this strain.
A WHO staff member sets up a tent to increase capacity at a hospital in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Preserving Essential Services
Meanwhile, response efforts continue to expand. WHO has delivered over 2,000 diagnostic test kits and helped bolster 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 epidemic risks disrupting broader health services in affected regions. The UN reproductive health agency UNFPA reported that health facilities are increasingly diverting staff, supplies, and infrastructure to Ebola response activities, reducing access to services such as emergency C-sections, newborn care, family planning, and postnatal support. To help sustain 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 With You’
Tedros underscored WHO’s commitment, stating that the response must extend beyond the immediate epidemic. “As we fight this epidemic with you, we are committed to ensuring that other essential health services and humanitarian assistance continue to be provided to communities in Ituri and beyond,” he said. He also expressed confidence that the epidemic can be brought under control. “The DRC has faced Ebola before, sixteen times, and ended every epidemic. This is the seventeenth. That history gives me real confidence,” he stated. Completing his remarks, Tedros sought to reassure affected communities. “You are not alone in this fight,” he said. “We are here, we are with you, and we will get through this together.”
