The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has made an emotional appeal to armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), urging them to suspend fighting and allow health workers safe access to communities battling a fresh Ebola outbreak in Ituri province.
In a heartfelt message released on Thursday, May 28, 2026, Tedros said his appeal went beyond his role as a global health official, stressing that he was speaking as someone personally connected to the region and deeply concerned about the suffering of its people.
“My name is Tedros, and I am the Director-General of the World Health Organisation. But today, I am not writing to you as an official. I am writing to you as someone who knows your region, who has walked your streets, and who cares deeply about what happens to you and your families,” he said.
He added that his message was inspired by solidarity with communities facing the devastating combination of violence and disease.
“I am writing because I want to be with you in these moments. And I want you to know that you are not alone.”
Tedros recalled his repeated visits to the region during the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak in North Kivu, revealing that he travelled to frontline communities and treatment centres 14 times during the crisis.
“From 2018 to 2020, I came fourteen times to North Kivu, the epicentre of the outbreak at that time. Fourteen visits to Beni, Butembo, Katwa, Goma, and many other communities,” he stated.
He described the previous outbreak as one of the most difficult Ebola emergencies in history because it unfolded amid armed conflict, mass displacement, and persistent insecurity.
“That outbreak was one of the most complex in history. It did not unfold in a stable, peaceful environment. It happened in the middle of armed conflict, with communities displaced, supply routes disrupted, and health workers operating under constant threat,” he said.
According to him, insecurity directly hampered emergency operations and contributed to preventable deaths.
“Our health workers were attacked. Clinics were targeted. People who were only trying to save lives found themselves caught in the middle of a conflict they did not start. Lives were lost that we might have saved, and that weighs on me still.”
Tedros warned that the latest Ebola outbreak is now spreading under similarly dangerous conditions, with Ituri province accounting for more than 90 percent of all recorded cases, while a smaller number have also been reported in North Kivu and South Kivu.
“This time, the outbreak is hitting Ituri province the hardest,” he noted.
The WHO chief acknowledged the hardship already confronting residents in eastern Congo, including hunger, poverty, malaria, violence, and insecurity.
“I know that many of you are exhausted. You are already carrying so much: malaria, hunger, insecurity, and the daily struggle to keep your families safe. And now Ebola. It is not fair, and I will not pretend otherwise,” he said.
Despite the difficult situation, Tedros praised the resilience of communities in Ituri, describing the province as a place filled with “remarkable energy” and vibrant local enterprise.
He also urged young people to become active participants in the fight against Ebola by helping to spread awareness within their communities.
“To the young people of Ituri, you are growing up in circumstances that no young person should have to face. And yet what I see, again and again, is not despair but determination,” he said.
“You are the future of this province and this country. In this outbreak, you have a vital role to play. Talk to your friends and your families. Share what you know about Ebola.”
Tedros further commended frontline health workers risking their lives daily to contain the outbreak.
“To the health workers of Ituri, I want to say this: you are seen, and you are not alone. Every day you go to work knowing the risks, and you go anyway.”
He identified insecurity as one of the biggest barriers to containing the outbreak, especially in reaching vulnerable communities and protecting medical personnel.
“I also know that the security situation in parts of this region remains very difficult. Conflict and displacement make everything harder, including reaching people who need care and keeping health workers safe,” he added.
The WHO Director-General then made a direct plea to all armed factions in the region to suspend violence and allow humanitarian operations to continue.
“That is why today I am making a direct appeal to all warring parties in this region: please, declare a ceasefire. Even briefly. Even just enough to let health workers through.”
He warned that ongoing fighting is worsening the humanitarian crisis and increasing the risk of more deaths from a disease that can be contained.
“No cause, no conflict, no grievance is worth condemning innocent people to death from a preventable disease. A ceasefire, even a temporary one, would save lives,” he stressed.
Tedros also disclosed that the current outbreak is being driven by the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, unlike previous outbreaks in the DRC that were linked to the Ebola Zaire strain for which vaccines and treatments already exist.
“Most previous Ebola outbreaks in DRC were caused by a virus called Ebola Zaire, for which we have vaccines and treatments. This outbreak is caused by a different virus called Ebola Bundibugyo. There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for it,” he explained.
He, however, maintained that early medical intervention and cooperation from communities could still significantly reduce fatalities.
“While there are no specific treatments for Bundibugyo, there is much we can do together to prevent the spread of this virus and save lives. Early supportive care in our treatment centres can make a real difference.”
Tedros confirmed plans to visit Bunia personally as part of WHO’s continued engagement with local authorities and affected communities.
“That is why I am coming to Bunia. I will be there in person, alongside my colleagues, meeting your leaders, listening to your concerns, and doing everything in my power to help you,” he said.
He ended his message with words of encouragement and solidarity to residents of Ituri and the wider eastern Congo region.
“My brothers and sisters of Ituri, I want you to know that the world is watching your courage. You are not forgotten. Together, we will overcome this outbreak, as you have overcome every challenge before.”
WHO, alongside the government of the DRC and humanitarian partners, continues to coordinate response operations in affected areas despite growing security and access challenges.
