The Africa CDC has called for increased funding to combat a growing Ebola outbreak in central Africa after pledges almost halved from nearly $500 million to around $290 million since late May 2026, Director-General Jean Kaseya said, as the agency teamed with the World Health Organization to launch a six-month plan seeking $518 million.
Kaseya outlined the funding challenges during a virtual press conference, noting that some donors had revised their commitments downward after initially pledging almost $500 million on Monday. According to Reuters, the number of confirmed cases in Uganda had risen to eight from seven at that time. Kaseya emphasised the urgency, saying, “We cannot afford to stop this outbreak without resources. We cannot afford to stop this outbreak just with political declarations from some countries.” The plan targets preparation, detection and response activities across high-risk countries with a focus on the Bundibugyo virus.
The joint continental preparedness and response plan, launched on June 5, 2026, aims to support African countries in addressing the Bundibugyo Ebola virus for which no approved treatments or vaccines are available, a WHO publication showed. “The only way to beat this outbreak is through close partnership, working together under the leadership of the affected countries in one coordinated effort, guided by a simple principle: one plan, one budget, one team,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Its success will depend on political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities, the plan stated.
South Africa announced an initial contribution of $5 million to Africa CDC in support of the ongoing continental Ebola response. The US CDC will tap $107 million in emergency funding for Ebola response in the DRC and Uganda, officials said. These pledges add to efforts as the response requires coordinated action from multiple partners.
Africa CDC data places the outbreak’s epicentre in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo with spillover transmission in Uganda. The six-month plan from June to November 2026 includes $68 million to close Ebola research gaps, according to a report by Research Professional News. The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic killed more than 11,000 people, World Health Organization records show.
In remarks reported by Devex, Kaseya said he had been informed that some announced pledges were inaccurate amounts and needed to be corrected. The strategy allocates a substantial share of resources to the most impacted nations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda where 75 percent of funding was initially directed in earlier appeals. Health authorities have stressed the need for rapid detection and community trust to prevent further spread.
