The World Health Organisation has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, a designation reserved for the most serious global health threats. The decision, announced on Wednesday, comes as the virus spreads to Goma, a city of two million people on the border with Rwanda.
This is the second time in less than a year that the WHO has invoked the emergency measure, a reflection of the deteriorating containment efforts in a region plagued by armed conflict and community mistrust. The outbreak, which began in August 2018, has already infected over 2,500 people and killed more than 1,600. The mortality rate exceeds 60 per cent.
The declaration, which was recommended by an emergency committee convened by the WHO, is intended to galvanise international financing and coordination. But it also underscores the failure of the global community to support the initial response. The WHO has been severely constrained by funding shortfalls and operational obstacles.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, described the situation as a "public health emergency of international concern" but stressed that the risk of international spread remained low. "Our focus is on protecting the people of the DRC and neighbouring countries," he said.
The outbreak is the tenth to hit the DRC and the worst since the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa that killed 11,000 people. The current epidemic is concentrated in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, where armed groups have repeatedly attacked health workers. In April, Dr Richard Mouzoko, a WHO epidemiologist, was killed in an attack on a hospital in Butembo.
The WHO has also struggled with misinformation and resistance from local communities, who view foreign health workers with suspicion. Some have accused the government of exploiting the outbreak for political gain. The use of experimental vaccines has been controversial, although more than 160,000 people have been immunised.
The emergency declaration is a legal mechanism under the International Health Regulations. It allows the WHO to issue temporary recommendations on travel and trade. The United States, which had previously opposed the declaration, now supports it. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been active in the response.
But the declaration is not a solution. It is a signal that the current approach is insufficient. The WHO has called for more money, more health workers and better security. The United Nations has said it needs an additional $50 million for the next six months.
The outbreak has already spread to Uganda and there are fears it could reach Rwanda and South Sudan. The risk to the wider world remains low, but the virus does not respect borders. The international community has been warned repeatedly that global health security is only as strong as its weakest link.
The WHO's decision is a recognition that the outbreak is no longer just a regional problem. It is a test of the global health system. And so far, the system is faltering.
