His appeal comes as Ugandan authorities confirmed on Saturday the existence of three new cases of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no cure or vaccine.
“The three new cases include a Ugandan health worker, a driver and a Congolese national who traveled from Ituri province in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to receive medical treatment,” Tedros said in a social media post. “This brings to five the total number of people in Uganda who have tested positive for Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus.”
WHO is working with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and partners in the DRC and Uganda to contain the outbreak, support those affected and help coordinate the response. On Friday, the WHO raised the national risk assessment for the DRC to “very high” – although the global risk remains low.
Essential cross-border collaboration
In Kampala, Uganda, WHO hosted a two-day high-level ministerial meeting on cross-border coordination in response to the Ebola outbreak in Bundibugyo.
Speaking to ministers from South Sudan, DRC and Uganda, Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire, WHO Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response for Africa, highlighted the need to strengthen and sustain cross-border collaboration to contain the outbreak.
She warned that delays in response can have serious consequences and stressed that stronger surveillance and preparedness systems are essential because “time saves lives” during outbreaks.
Sustained financial contribution
The Director-General called on Member States to continue increasing their financial contributions to ensure that WHO remains strong, independent and able to respond to future global emergencies.
He also stressed that global agreements must translate into practical actions that protect communities, quickly contain outbreaks and ensure health care reaches vulnerable populations.
“Every nation is healthier and safer when all nations are healthier and safer,” he said.
