Addis Ababa – India has delivered emergency pharmaceutical supplies to help fight the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention confirming receipt of the donation and thanking New Delhi for its generosity.
The supplies were received in Uganda by Africa CDC’s Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre and include essential diagnostics, therapeutics, infection prevention and control materials, and case management support that will be deployed to affected communities in eastern DRC.
“Africa CDC welcomes the arrival of emergency pharmaceutical supplies generously donated by the Government and people of India to support the ongoing response to the Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak in the DRC,” the continental public health agency said.
It added that it thanks India for its “continued support and commitment to protecting lives and advancing health security across the continent.”
India’s contribution comes at a critical moment. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola currently has no approved vaccine or treatment, meaning the supplies of diagnostics, therapeutics and infection prevention materials sent by India are among the most urgently needed tools available to health workers on the ground.
The donation is consistent with India’s broader approach to its health partnership with African countries, which has grown in recent years to include the supply of medicines, vaccines and medical assistance, particularly during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has described the situation in eastern DRC as a catastrophic collision of disease and conflict, warning that the outbreak in Ituri province is outpacing the response and that attacks on health facilities are making it nearly impossible to track cases and contacts.
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