The World Health Organisation has launched a $518 million emergency response plan to contain the growing Ebola outbreak in East Africa, warning that sustained funding, political commitment and community trust will be critical to stopping the spread of the deadly disease.
The six month strategy, running from June to November, will be implemented jointly with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and aims to strengthen surveillance, treatment, vaccination efforts and cross border disease monitoring.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world was better prepared than during previous Ebola crises but stressed that urgent action was needed as infections continue to rise.
“We are not starting from zero. This plan draws from lessons learned in previous outbreaks and recent health emergencies,” he said.
The announcement came as Uganda confirmed three new Ebola infections, bringing the country’s total number of recorded cases to 19. Health officials said the latest patients were among contacts already being monitored in quarantine.
Uganda also reported the death of a Congolese national infected with the virus, raising the country’s Ebola death toll to two.
According to WHO, at least 34 health workers have been infected during the outbreak. Seven have died while six have recovered, highlighting the risks faced by frontline medical personnel.
The Democratic Republic of Congo remains the epicentre of the outbreak. Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said 381 confirmed cases and 63 deaths had been recorded as authorities struggle to contain transmission in affected communities.
International health experts have expressed concern over the potential for wider regional spread due to population movement across borders in East and Central Africa. The United Nations, WHO and humanitarian agencies have intensified support for disease surveillance and emergency response operations in both Uganda and Congo.
The outbreak has also triggered political tensions in neighbouring Kenya. Earlier this week, protests erupted over plans to establish an Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki. Local media reported that two people were killed during demonstrations as residents voiced concerns over the proposed facility.
Global health agencies say rapid detection, isolation of cases and public cooperation remain essential if the outbreak is to be brought under control before it spreads further across the region.
