Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan to address the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The plan aims to raise US$518 million to help African countries prepare for, detect, and respond to the outbreak rapidly over a six-month period from June to November 2026.
This unified 'One Response' strategy brings together governments, partners, and communities to strengthen outbreak measures including emergency coordination, disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, clinical care, community engagement, research, logistics, and support for essential health services. It complements existing national response plans in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
According to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the strategy relies on political commitment, sustained financing, and community trust and participation. He emphasized that without community involvement, activities like contact tracing and safe care are delayed, prolonging transmission. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, highlighted the need for rapid and unified action across Africa to save lives and support affected communities.
The plan also prioritizes protection of vulnerable populations and strengthening cross-border collaboration, enabling countries to respond quickly to new cases. Given the absence of licensed vaccines or therapeutics specifically for the Bundibugyo Ebola species, the plan focuses on health system resilience alongside acute emergency response.
Preparedness and response efforts are ongoing in affected and at-risk countries, with enhanced public health emergency measures in ten priority nations. The plan also integrates support for other health emergencies, such as mpox, cholera, and measles, to avoid disruptions and strengthen overall health systems.