WHO chief visits epicentre of Ebola outbreak in DR Congo

WAM
31 May 2026, 02:10 GMT+10

KINSHASA, 31st May, 2026 (WAM) -- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of World Health Organisation (WHO), on Saturday visited Bunia in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where a severe Ebola outbreak has been declared.

WHO's director general told reporters in Bunia, capital of Ituri province, that the international community was helping the DRC government cope with the outbreak, but "at the same time, community ownership is important".

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that was the reason for his trip: "We are here to discuss with the community, to see how the response is running and if there are challenges to help."

He is expected to inaugurate a large Ebola treatment centre in Bunia in the form of a permanent building rather than simple tents.

The moves come as the World Health Organisation has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) following the latest outbreak, which has claimed 246 lives among more than 1,000 suspected cases.

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