By Peter Omopo
KINSHASA — The World Health Organization (WHO) has dispatched 12 tonnes of emergency medical supplies and equipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to support the country’s response to the latest Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak.
The WHO Regional Office for Africa announced the development on Sunday in a post on X, stating that the consignment was shipped from its Emergency Response and Preparedness hub in Nairobi.
According to the agency, the supplies include personal protective equipment sufficient for 120 frontline health workers for one month, patient isolation materials, and essential water, sanitation, and hygiene items.
The intervention comes after health authorities declared an Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province, where 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths — including four health workers — had been reported as of September 5.
WHO also confirmed that responders from the agency, the DRC’s Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene, and Social Welfare, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are being vaccinated against Ebola ahead of field deployment. The DRC currently has 2,000 vaccine doses in stock, with additional supplies expected in the coming days.
The latest outbreak adds to the region’s overlapping health and humanitarian crises, including cholera, malnutrition, and population displacement. It is the DRC’s 15th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976. Kasai Province previously recorded outbreaks in 2007 and 2008.
Ebola, a rare but often fatal disease, spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected individuals or animals. Fruit bats are considered the virus’s natural hosts.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has announced heightened surveillance measures at points of entry to guard against cross-border spread. The agency said it is working with ministries, departments, and development partners to strengthen preparedness and ensure early detection of potential cases.
Earlier, WHO released $500,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to bolster the response in the DRC.
The country’s last Ebola outbreak occurred in Equateur Province in April 2022 and was contained within three months.
