EU and WHO scale up action to respond to Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda

The European Union (EU) and WHO have reinforced their cooperation to support national authorities in responding to the ongoing Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with the aim of rapidly containing transmission, protecting communities and strengthening preparedness in the region, ultimately saving lives.

Through the EU's support, WHO is scaling up coordinated action on surveillance, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and continuity of essential health services, in close cooperation with national authorities and partners. This approach reflects the EU's commitment to supporting partner countries in times of crisis, while at the same time reducing risks to people in Europe through early, collective action.

As Commissioner Hadja Lahbib has consistently underlined, investing in preparedness, rapid response and multilateral cooperation is both a humanitarian imperative and a strategic necessity.

"The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda requires strong international action. The EU is supporting the response through humanitarian assistance, preparedness measures and close cooperation with the WHO, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, national authorities and partners on the ground. This includes support for disease surveillance and for research and development of diagnostics and vaccines. The EU stands with affected communities and remains committed to helping stop the spread of the virus," said Commissioner Lahbib.

In response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the EU is allocating €15 million - of which €5 million is earmarked for WHO - in humanitarian funding to support emergency operations in the affected areas, as well as preparedness and prevention efforts also in countries neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. In addition, the EU launched its Humanitarian Air Bridge operation to deliver 100 tonnes of emergency supplies to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including medicines, personal protective equipment (PPE), infection-control materials, tents and operational equipment for frontline teams.

Also, through €1.5 million in co-financing to the WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar, the European Commission has already supported the deployment of 6.3 tonnes of medical supplies to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including sample collection kits, viral haemorrhagic fever kits (specialized PPE) and medications, and surge capacity of expert teams on the ground.

"Viruses do not stop at borders - and nor does our partnership," said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. "The EU's partnership with WHO for rapid response, sharing of expertise, investment in surveillance, genomic sequencing and vaccine research, and providing supplies on the ground quickly is exactly what effective multilateral action looks like. I want to personally thank the EU for its solidarity with the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda at this critical moment. This is also a powerful demonstration of what Europe and Africa can achieve when we work together as genuine partners."

"Thank you, Commissioner Lahbib, for standing with Africa as we respond to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda," said Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. "The EU's rapid support will make a real difference on the ground. This support - fast, concrete and built on genuine solidarity - is critical for keeping our teams and labs operational and our frontline workers safe."

This cooperation forms part of a broader EU financial support package to address the Ebola crisis in both countries. It brings together the European Commission's humanitarian and health emergency capacities to support both immediate response efforts and preparedness measures, including diagnostics and medical countermeasures. The support is channelled through WHO to strengthen regionally-led, WHO-coordinated, action on the ground.

This cooperation reflects a shared understanding that health threats do not stop at borders and that supporting outbreak response at the source is essential for global and European health security. It also gives practical expression to the recently published EU Global Health Resilience Initiative, translating political commitment into concrete action through strong multilateral partnership, with WHO at the centre.

The joint response builds on the leadership of the WHO Regional Directors for Africa and Europe, Dr Janabi and Dr Kluge, who have actively promoted stronger interregional collaboration as a cornerstone of effective health emergency preparedness and response in a changing multilateral landscape.

The EU and WHO reaffirm their commitment to continue working together to bring the outbreaks under control and to strengthen resilience against future health emergencies.

Factsheets, latest case numbers, outbreak news and much more are available at the link to the WHO Ebola page.