GENEVA/DAKAR, May 27 (Reuters) – The head of the World Health Organization called on Wednesday for a ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to contain an Ebola outbreak, saying ongoing fighting is triggering mass displacements and spreading the disease in overcrowded camps.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no vaccine or approved treatment, was declared an emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization this month and cases are rising sharply.
‘Eastern DRC now faces a catastrophic collision of disease and conflict, with the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province outpacing the response,’ said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is due to travel to the region this week.
‘We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while the bombs are falling. We urge all parties to the conflict to agree to an immediate ceasefire to contain this outbreak,’ he said on X.
To date, more than 900 suspected cases and more than 200 suspected deaths have been recorded in three eastern Congo provinces, including North Kivu province, controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, and South Kivu province, controlled by the Alliance Fleuve Congo rebel group.
Aid group Save the Children said on Wednesday that a quarter of confirmed deaths were children, calling for an increase in infection prevention measures.
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Fighting has continued in eastern Congo despite mediation efforts led by the United States and others, and millions of people are displaced. The UN refugee agency said transit and reception sites in Uganda’s West Nile region, which borders Congo, are at more than double capacity, according to a document.
Aid groups are sending teams and equipment to eastern Congo, but attacks on doctors due to community distrust have hampered efforts, they say. To date, donors have pledged about $500 million to help with the outbreak, but not all of it has been disbursed, according to health officials.
