Bunia, May 31: The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called on countries to reconsider their decisions to impose travel bans or close borders due to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, Tedros emphasized that such restrictions could hinder relief and rescue efforts. He stated that these measures might reduce transparency and trust among the public, which are crucial for saving lives. Bunia is currently the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak.
“I urge those countries that have imposed travel bans or closed their borders to rethink their decisions. Such actions complicate efforts to combat the disease and diminish public trust, which is essential for saving lives,” Tedros said.
He noted that while there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the disease, timely and adequate medical care increases the chances of recovery for patients.
Tedros also mentioned that one of the objectives of his visit to Bunia was to meet directly with affected communities to understand their situation. So far, over a thousand suspected cases have emerged in the outbreak.
In Uganda, nine cases have also been confirmed, with the health ministry reporting two new infections in the capital, Kampala, on Friday.
DRC’s Health Minister Roger Kamba stated that the country’s goal is to control and end the outbreak within four to six months under the “best-case scenario.” This estimate is based on the country’s previous experiences with epidemic control and the nature of the Ebola virus.
He added that the immediate priority is to contain the virus within the three affected provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, and to prevent further spread.
Kamba also mentioned that the country’s laboratory testing capacity has significantly improved, and there are currently no pending samples for testing. Approximately 900 samples have been tested, with around 260 returning positive results. He assured that the country now has the capacity to test all incoming samples, even if the daily testing numbers rise to 200 or 300.
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