WHO Head Briefs DR Congo President on Ebola Outbreak Response
En resumen
- WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus briefed DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi on the Ebola outbreak response.
- An aid agency warned the outbreak is larger than official figures, and health officials are struggling to control it.
- Tedros emphasized the need for community ownership and strong government leadership.
Resumen generado por IA
Por qué importa
The World Health Organization head visited the Democratic Republic of Congo to brief the president on the ongoing Ebola outbreak. An aid agency has warned that the outbreak is likely much larger than official figures indicate, and health officials are struggling to contain it.
The head of the World Health Organization on Monday concluded his visit to Democratic Republic of Congo by briefing the president on the response to the Ebola outbreak, which an aid agency warned was likely much larger than official figures show.
The outbreak, already the third-largest on record, persisted for weeks undetected, say health officials, who are now behind the curve and struggling to bring it under control.
Arriving in DR Congo last week, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for more international support to stop the disease’s spread before he travelled to DR Congo’s Ituri province where the first cases were confirmed.
There he said he saw some encouraging signs – including five certified recoveries – as well as the need to ramp up testing and treatment capacity and promote trust in health workers.
“This Ebola can be stopped when the community owns the agenda and with strong government leadership,” he said after meeting with President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa on Monday.
“We need to strengthen the capacity of the health systems in the affected areas.”
Preguntas abiertas
- What are the official figures for the Ebola outbreak?
- What specific international support is needed?
- What are the main challenges in building trust with health workers?
- What is the current testing and treatment capacity in affected areas?
