Kampala: President Cyril Ramaphosa, serving as the African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, has praised the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda for their effective management of a recent Ebola outbreak.
According to South African Government News Agency, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, reporting hundreds of cases. President Ramaphosa acknowledged the swift leadership and transparency of both governments in declaring the outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain in Ituri Province, DR Congo, and Kampala, Uganda, following laboratory confirmations.
He emphasized the importance of early detection, rapid reporting, and decisive action to prevent the escalation of such outbreaks into broader regional crises. President Ramaphosa expressed solidarity with the affected communities and frontline health workers and commended neighboring countries for their quick actions to enhance preparedness, cross-border surveillance, and emergency coordination.
Furthermore, he praised the efforts of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, led by Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya, in collaboration with the WHO, for their rapid support, regional coordination, and partner mobilization for a unified continental response. He also welcomed efforts to strengthen surveillance, laboratory systems, contact tracing, infection control, and access to medical countermeasures.
President Ramaphosa called for close cooperation between the governments of the two affected countries, frontline responders, and communities, emphasizing the need for trust and transparency to curtail the outbreaks at their source. He highlighted the significant risk of regional spread due to high population mobility and urged intensified cross-border collaboration and information sharing.
As the chair of the Global Leaders Network for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health, he made a special plea to ensure that vulnerable groups are not neglected and that routine services remain consistent during the crisis. The outbreak serves as a reminder for African countries to invest in public health systems and regional health security.
President Ramaphosa urged African Union Member States and international partners to strengthen support for pandemic prevention through timely financing, technical assistance, and direct community support. He committed to working with the AU Commission, Heads of State and Government, Africa CDC, and partners to ensure a coordinated and adequately financed African response.
In conclusion, President Ramaphosa asserted that the peoples of DR Congo, Uganda, and the wider region should not face this threat alone, emphasizing Africa's capability to contain these outbreaks with urgency, unity, and collective action.
