Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to declare a ceasefire so that health workers can reach people and contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in the country.
Tedros headed to the DRC on Thursday as part of the United Nations’ efforts to support the African nation and the bordering Uganda to stop the spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no cure.
He wrote on X, “On my way to #DRC. Ebola is back. Ituri province is bearing the brunt. I will be on the ground with our @WHO teams, partners, and the extraordinary health workers who have never stopped fighting, all working under the leadership of the Government of DRC.”
“16 times, this country has defeated Ebola. The 17th will be no different. But we must act now, together,” Tedros added.
As of Wednesday, there were more than 900 suspected cases, 105 confirmed cases, and 10 confirmed deaths in the DRC. Uganda reported seven confirmed cases and one death.
Apart from the recent outbreak, DRC is currently suffering from one of the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa due to decades of armed conflict, widespread displacement, and resource exploitation.
Tedros appealed to the armed groups to declare a ceasefire to let health workers through and help halt the spread of the disease.
“That is why today I am making a direct appeal to all warring parties in the region: please, declare a ceasefire. Even briefly. Even just enough to let health workers through,” he said.
Tedros further added, “People are dying from Ebola who do not have to die. Children are sick. Families are suffering. No cause, no conflict, no grievance is worth condemning innocent people to death from a preventable disease.”
