The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly launched a comprehensive continental preparedness and response plan, seeking to raise US$518 million to combat the ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus. This ambitious six-month initiative, spanning from June to November 2026, aims to galvanize support for African nations and their partners in preparing for, swiftly detecting, and effectively responding to the virulent outbreak. The strategy consolidates efforts from governments, international partners, and local communities under a unified "One Response" approach, targeting critical areas such as emergency coordination, robust disease surveillance, advanced laboratory testing, stringent infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, comprehensive clinical care, impactful community engagement, vital research, efficient logistics, and sustained support for essential health services across the continent. This continental framework is designed to seamlessly complement and reinforce existing national response plans already initiated by the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, countries historically and currently at the forefront of Ebola challenges.

The Bundibugyo Threat: A Deeper Dive into a Formidable Foe

The Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV) represents one of the six recognized species within the Ebolavirus genus, notorious for causing severe, often fatal, hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates. First identified in 2007 during an outbreak in the Bundibugyo District of western Uganda, the BDBV strain is characterized by a high fatality rate, typically ranging between 25% and 50%. While this figure is generally lower than that observed with the Zaire ebolavirus (which can reach up to 90%), it still poses a significant public health threat, especially given its unpredictable nature and the severe symptoms it inflicts. Previous significant outbreaks attributed to BDBV include the initial 2007 event in Uganda, which recorded 149 cases and 37 deaths, and a smaller cluster in the DRC in 2012. The current outbreak, while details on its precise scale remain dynamic, underscores the persistent vulnerability of the region to these zoonotic pathogens. A critical challenge in combating BDBV, and a central focus of the new plan, is the current absence of any licensed vaccines or specific therapeutic treatments explicitly approved for this particular Ebola species. This absence necessitates a reliance on supportive clinical care, aggressive public health interventions, and robust containment strategies to break chains of transmission and save lives.

A Unified Front: The "One Response" Strategy and Community Centrality

The bedrock of the joint Africa CDC and WHO plan is its "One Response" philosophy, emphasizing an integrated, multi-sectoral, and coordinated approach. This strategy moves beyond fragmented efforts, advocating for a single, harmonized plan, a unified budget, and a cohesive team across all levels of response. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, underscored this imperative, stating, "The only way to beat this outbreak is through close partnership, working together under the leadership of the affected countries in one coordinated effort, guided by a simple principle: one plan, one budget, one team." His remarks highlighted the indispensable role of political commitment, sustained financial backing, and, crucially, the trust and active engagement of communities. Past Ebola outbreaks have repeatedly demonstrated that community resistance, driven by misinformation, cultural practices, or mistrust in health authorities, can severely impede response efforts, leading to delayed contact tracing, unsafe care practices, and continued transmission. By placing communities at the center of the response, the plan seeks to foster genuine participation, ensuring that interventions are culturally sensitive, locally relevant, and effectively implemented. This includes transparent communication, involving community leaders in decision-making, and adapting public health messages to local contexts to build confidence and compliance.

Funding the Fight: The US$518 Million Appeal and its Strategic Allocation

The ambitious target of US$518 million reflects the comprehensive nature and anticipated scale of the response required to effectively control the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak and bolster regional health security. This significant financial appeal is earmarked for a broad spectrum of activities designed to fortify health systems and enable swift, decisive action. Key areas for funding allocation include:

• Emergency Coordination: Establishing robust command centers and coordination mechanisms at national and regional levels to ensure efficient communication and resource deployment.
• Disease Surveillance: Enhancing early warning systems, active case finding, and epidemiological investigations to rapidly identify new cases and transmission chains. This involves training surveillance officers, deploying rapid response teams, and utilizing digital tools for data collection and analysis.
• Laboratory Testing: Strengthening diagnostic capabilities across affected and at-risk countries, ensuring rapid and accurate confirmation of BDBV cases. This includes equipping laboratories with necessary reagents and equipment, and training lab technicians.
• Infection Prevention and Control (IPC): Implementing rigorous IPC protocols in healthcare facilities and communities to prevent onward transmission, protecting both health workers and the public. This involves providing personal protective equipment (PPE), establishing isolation units, and promoting safe burial practices.
• Clinical Care: Supporting the establishment and operation of Ebola Treatment Centers (ETCs), providing comprehensive medical care to patients, including fluid management, nutritional support, and symptom relief.
• Community Engagement: Investing in tailored communication strategies, social mobilization campaigns, and community dialogue initiatives to build trust, address misinformation, and promote protective behaviors.
• Research: Facilitating operational research to better understand the virus, its transmission dynamics, and to evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions in the absence of specific vaccines or therapeutics.
• Logistics: Ensuring the timely procurement and distribution of essential supplies, equipment, and human resources to where they are most needed, often in remote and challenging environments.
• Support for Essential Health Services: Maintaining the continuity of routine health services, such as immunization, maternal and child health, and treatment for other endemic diseases, to prevent a collapse of the health system under the strain of the Ebola response.

This substantial investment aims not only to contain the immediate outbreak but also to build enduring resilience within African health systems, preventing future health crises from escalating into widespread humanitarian disasters.

Chronology of Ebola Outbreaks in Africa and the Evolution of Response

Ebola virus disease has haunted Africa for nearly five decades since its discovery in 1976, with outbreaks historically concentrated in Central and West Africa. The Zaire ebolavirus, responsible for the devastating 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, has been the most prolific and deadly. However, the Bundibugyo strain, though less frequently encountered, presents its own unique challenges, particularly due to the lack of targeted medical countermeasures.

• 1976: First identified in Zaire (now DRC) and Sudan.
• 2007: First identification of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in Uganda, leading to 149 cases and 37 deaths.
• 2012: Bundibugyo outbreak in DRC, with a smaller number of cases.
• 2014-2016: West Africa Ebola epidemic (primarily Zaire strain) exposed critical gaps in global and regional preparedness, prompting significant reforms and investments in public health infrastructure. This outbreak, affecting Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, resulted in over 11,000 deaths and highlighted the devastating socio-economic impact of uncontained epidemics.
• 2018-2020: Major Zaire Ebola outbreak in Eastern DRC, compounded by conflict and insecurity, demonstrated the complexities of responding in fragile settings. This period saw the rapid deployment of novel vaccines (for Zaire strain) and therapeutics, showcasing scientific progress but also the enduring challenges of community engagement in conflict zones.
• Post-2016: The creation and strengthening of institutions like Africa CDC, officially launched in 2017, marked a pivotal shift towards continental ownership of health security. Lessons from past outbreaks, especially the 2014-2016 crisis, underscored the need for Africa to lead its own response efforts, complementing WHO’s global mandate. The current joint plan is a direct outcome of these lessons, emphasizing proactive, coordinated, and continent-led preparedness.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, articulated the urgency and resolve driving this initiative: "Ebola moves fast. Africa must move faster. This joint plan gives the continent a clear path to act with speed and unity: to save lives, support the affected countries and protect neighboring communities. With Member States, WHO and partners, Africa CDC is turning commitment into action and resources into response for the communities at risk." His statement reflects the renewed focus on rapid deployment and decisive action, building on the experience of coordinating responses to various outbreaks across African Union Member States.

Protecting the Continent: Key Pillars of Enhanced Preparedness

Beyond immediate containment, the plan outlines several critical pillars aimed at fortifying Africa’s overall health security architecture. A primary focus is the protection of vulnerable populations, including women, children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions, who are often disproportionately affected by outbreaks. Specific measures include tailored risk communication, ensuring equitable access to care, and providing psychosocial support to affected individuals and families.

Strengthening cross-border collaboration is another cornerstone. With highly porous borders across Africa, the movement of people and goods poses a constant risk of disease transmission. The plan advocates for harmonized surveillance systems, joint training exercises, coordinated contact tracing efforts, and shared protocols for screening at points of entry (POEs) between neighboring countries. This concerted effort is crucial for preventing the international spread of the virus and ensuring a unified response that transcends national boundaries. Furthermore, the plan aims to strengthen health systems for long-term resilience, even as countries grapple with acute health emergencies. This involves a dual-track approach: responding to the immediate crisis while simultaneously investing in foundational public health capacities such as robust primary healthcare, a well-trained health workforce, and resilient supply chains. The goal is to ensure that health systems can absorb the shock of an epidemic without collapsing, continuing to deliver essential services.

Crucially, the strategy also emphasizes the need to maintain support for other ongoing health emergencies, including mpox, cholera, and measles. The continent frequently contends with multiple concurrent outbreaks, and diverting all resources to Ebola can inadvertently exacerbate other public health crises. The plan advocates for integrated emergency responses that safeguard progress towards stronger, more resilient health systems, preventing disruptions to critical immunization campaigns or treatment programs.

On the Ground: Implementation and Priority Countries

Implementation of preparedness and response activities is already underway across affected and at-risk countries, reflecting a proactive stance. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, authorities, with the steadfast support of Africa CDC, WHO, and various partners, are actively ramping up efforts to curb the spread of the virus and bring the current outbreak to an end. This includes deploying rapid response teams, enhancing surveillance in high-risk areas, and mobilizing communities.

In addition to immediate response in affected areas, the plan targets 10 priority countries for intensified preparedness measures. These countries, identified based on their geographical proximity to affected regions, trade routes, population density, and existing health system vulnerabilities, will receive enhanced support to bolster their public health emergency preparedness. This includes strengthening laboratory capacity, training healthcare workers, developing national response plans, and conducting simulation exercises to ensure early detection and swift, coordinated response should the virus cross their borders. Furthermore, Africa CDC and WHO are urging all Member States to strengthen screening and public health measures at points of entry, such as airports, seaports, and land crossings. This involves implementing health declarations, temperature checks, and rapid referral systems for suspected cases, alongside enhanced cross-border coordination and solidarity to support a timely, effective, and evidence-based response to the outbreak.

Statements and Strategic Vision: A Call for Unity and Action

The pronouncements from the leaders of Africa CDC and WHO serve as a powerful call to action, articulating a strategic vision rooted in partnership and continental leadership. Dr. Tedros’s emphasis on "political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities" speaks to the multifaceted nature of epidemic response, where medical science must be complemented by governance, economics, and social cohesion. His assertion that "without their participation, contact tracing falters, safe care is delayed, and transmission continues" highlights the human element as the ultimate determinant of success.

Dr. Kaseya’s statement, "Ebola moves fast. Africa must move faster," encapsulates the urgent imperative for agility and proactive measures. His vision of Africa CDC "turning commitment into action and resources into response" underscores the agency’s evolving role as a key driver of health security on the continent, moving beyond advisory functions to direct, impactful intervention and coordination. This joint endeavor represents a significant step towards realizing a more self-reliant Africa in health matters, where continental institutions work hand-in-hand with global partners to address shared threats. National governments in affected countries like the DRC and Uganda have welcomed this robust continental plan, recognizing that their national efforts, while crucial, benefit immensely from regional solidarity and coordinated international support. These nations understand that cross-border collaboration is not merely an option but a necessity in the face of highly transmissible diseases.

Broader Implications for African Health Security

The launch of this joint preparedness and response plan carries profound broader implications for African health security, extending beyond the immediate containment of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. Firstly, it underscores the growing recognition of Africa’s leadership in its own health destiny. The collaborative framework between Africa CDC and WHO signifies a powerful partnership where continental priorities drive the agenda, supported by global expertise and resources. This model of shared responsibility and mutual accountability is critical for building sustainable health security.

Secondly, the plan’s focus on strengthening health systems resilience reflects a strategic pivot from reactive crisis management to proactive, long-term capacity building. By investing in foundational public health infrastructure, surveillance, and a skilled workforce, Africa aims to be better equipped to prevent, detect, and respond to not only future Ebola outbreaks but also a spectrum of other infectious disease threats, including emerging pathogens and existing endemic diseases. This has significant implications for regional stability and economic development. Uncontrolled epidemics devastate economies, disrupt trade, and can exacerbate social unrest. A robust health security framework is therefore an economic imperative, protecting livelihoods and fostering an environment conducive to growth and stability.

Finally, drawing on the invaluable lessons learned from previous Ebola outbreaks and other recent public health emergencies (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), this plan offers a pathway to broadly enhance Africa’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to future health threats. It emphasizes the critical importance of sustained investment, strong political commitment, and close collaboration among governments, health workers, communities, and international partners. The success of this US$518 million initiative will not only save lives from the current Bundibugyo Ebola threat but will also serve as a blueprint for building a more resilient, responsive, and secure health future for the entire African continent.

About Africa CDC

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. Africa CDC works with Member States, Regional Economic Communities and partners to prevent, detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats and outbreaks across the continent. For more information, visit www.africacdc.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and YouTube.

About WHO

Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. As the UN agency for health, WHO connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. “Together for health. Stand with science”, the theme of World Health Day 2026 marks a year-long campaign to highlight science as the foundation for protecting health and well-being worldwide.