The World Health Organization has issued a stark warning. A ‘catastrophic collision’ is unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ebola is resurgent. Conflict is escalating. The two are feeding each other.
Let’s be clear: this is not a routine public health alert. This is a political emergency. The WHO’s top official in the region briefed Geneva yesterday. His words were blunt. ‘We are facing a perfect storm.’
The numbers are grim. At least 15 new Ebola cases in the past week. A rise in attacks on health workers. Militia groups controlling key areas. The response teams cannot reach the sick. The sick cannot reach treatment centres.
But here is the real story. The government in Kinshasa is losing control. The security forces are overstretched. The protests in Goma are a sign of deeper rot. The UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, is being forced out. The Americans are pulling back. The Chinese are filling the void, but they bring no public health expertise.
Back in Westminster, the Foreign Office is quiet. Too quiet. I have spoken to three sources in the department. They all say the same thing. ‘We are monitoring the situation.’ That is officialese for ‘we have no plan.’
The real fear? This outbreak could spread. Across the border to Rwanda, Uganda, maybe even further. Air travel is too easy. The WHO knows this. That is why they are shouting.
But shouting is not enough. Not when the power dynamics are so fractured. Not when the local warlords see Ebola as a weapon. Not when the international community is distracted by Ukraine, by Gaza, by the US election.
So here is the bottom line. This is a test. A test of whether the global system can handle a crisis that is both a health disaster and a security threat. Past performance suggests the answer is no.
I will be watching the Lobby, the briefings, the leaks. If the government is preparing a response, I will find out. If they are not, that is the real story.
