Speaking in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and the epicenter of the outbreak, Tedros said local communities must remain at the center of the response to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
“We’re not here to tell people what to do. We’re here to listen,” he said at a press briefing. “Communities understand their own challenges and their own solutions. Our role is to support you in implementing these solutions, together.»
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrives at Bunia airport, in Ituri, one of three provinces hard hit by the Ebola epidemic.
The epidemic continues to evolve rapidly.
As of May 27, 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths had been reported in the DRC. In the DRC and Uganda, 134 confirmed cases and 18 confirmed deaths were recorded as of May 29. Furthermore, an American national who had treated patients in the DRC is currently being treated in Germany.
Building trust
Tedros used his visit to meet with government officials, community leaders, humanitarian agencies and health partners, emphasizing that public trust and community participation would be key to ending transmission.
“Community ownership is what will end this epidemic,» he said.
He expressed his hope to engage with women’s groups, religious leaders, business representatives and young people during his visit, describing trust-building as a process that “starts with listening.”
The UN health agency is increasingly working through community networks, including local leaders, radio stations and social media influencers, to combat misinformation and encourage early detection and treatment.
Prompt medical care is essential
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a relatively rare strain of Ebola first identified in Uganda in 2007.
Although there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment, Tedros stressed 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 in Ituri have already recovered,” he said. “Seeking care early makes a real difference.»
WHO and its partners are also continuing clinical trials aimed at developing vaccines and treatments against this strain.
A WHO staff member sets up a tent to increase capacity at a hospital in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Protect essential services
In the meantime, response efforts continue to expand.
WHO delivered more than 2,000 diagnostic test kits and helped strengthen enforcement capabilities in key transport hubs. The agency is also improving water systems at Ebola treatment centers to support infection prevention and control.
There are also concerns that the outbreak could disrupt wider health services in affected areas.
The United Nations reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said health facilities were increasingly redirecting staff, supplies and infrastructure towards Ebola response activities, reducing access to services such as emergency cesarean sections, neonatal care, contraception and postnatal support.
To help maintain these services, UNFPA deploys midwives, reproductive health kits and medical equipment while supporting a regional response plan involving the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
‘We are here, with you’
Tedros said the response must extend beyond the immediate outbreak, stressing that WHO
“As we fight this outbreak alongside 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 could be contained.
“The DRC has already faced Ebola sixteen times and has ended each outbreak,” he said. “It’s the seventeenth. This story gives me real confidence.”
Closing his speech, Tedros sought to reassure affected communities.
“You are not alone in this situation,” he said. “We are here, we are with you and we will get through this together.»
