African leaders and international partners have pledged $910 million to bolster efforts to contain the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, following a high-level African Union summit focused on strengthening the continent’s health security.
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding package includes $80 million in contributions from African Union member states and is aimed at accelerating emergency response measures, enhancing surveillance systems and improving preparedness across affected and at-risk countries.
The commitments were announced during the African Union High-Level Meeting on the Ebola outbreak, convened and chaired by Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye in his capacity as Chairperson of the African Union.
The summit brought together African leaders, international partners, United Nations agencies and regional organisations to mobilise political support, financial resources and operational assistance for the ongoing response.
Stronger response strategies
Addressing the meeting, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf stressed the need for stronger national and regional response strategies to prevent further transmission of the disease.
Youssouf further called for enhanced cross-border coordination, increased preparedness, improved surveillance and more effective containment measures, while urging African countries and development partners to maintain solidarity in confronting the outbreak.
The African Union affirmed its commitment to working closely with governments, regional bodies and international stakeholders to strengthen coordinated public health responses and ensure that no member state is left behind in addressing the shared challenge.
The funding pledge is expected to support ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak, protect vulnerable populations and reinforce long-term health security systems across Africa.
AU says the crisis highlights the importance of building resilient health systems capable of responding rapidly to public health emergencies across the continent.
