South Africa has pledged an initial $5 million contribution to support a $319 million continental preparedness and response plan, as Africa mobilises to combat its second-largest Ebola outbreak in history.
This, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who addressed a High-Level Meeting of African Ministers of Health on the Ebola outbreak that has swept through the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
South Africa had pledged an initial $2.5 million to the cause.
The President addressed the gathering in his capacity as African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.
“The Kampala meeting aligned behind a continental preparedness and response plan of approximately $319 million for the period June to November 2026. This plan will support outbreak control in affected countries while strengthening preparedness in at least ten high-risk Member States.
“Importantly, African countries themselves have already committed initial domestic contributions representing approximately 10% of the required financing. This demonstrates ownership and responsibility. Africa is no longer waiting passively for others to act.
“In this spirit of African solidarity and African solutions to African challenges, the Government and people of South Africa are pleased to announce an initial contribution of U$5 million to Africa CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], in support of the ongoing continental Ebola response,” President Ramaphosa said on Monday.
The outbreak – which was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation – has claimed at least 200 lives, a situation President Ramaphosa descried as “deeply concerning”.
The outbreak is also the largest one since the one in West Africa more than a decade ago and the President raised concern over the trajectory of the disease, while underscoring the urgent need for regional solidarity.
“Although, at the onset of this outbreak, there are no therapeutics and vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain, we have reason to be hopeful. Working together with Africa CDC and the World Health Organisation through the interim medical countermeasures network, organisations such as GAVI [Vaccine Alliance], CEPI [Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations] and UNITAID are working at speed on promising vaccine and therapeutic candidates towards clinical trials.
“We strongly support these efforts, as Africa cannot continue to face deadly epidemics without equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines and treatments.
“We call on all relevant partners and manufacturers to accelerate research and development, strengthen genomic surveillance, expand laboratory systems, and fast-track the equitable delivery of safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics,” the President urged.
The international community is also urged to stand with the continent of Africa in the “spirit of partnership, solidarity and respect”.
“The world is safer when Africa is safer. Delayed support today will result in much higher human, social and economic costs tomorrow,’” he warned.
The President emphasised the outbreak currently confronting Uganda and the DRC is a reminder that preparedness cannot begin when a crisis is already expanding.
“We must continue investing in resilient health systems, strong national public health institutes, emergency operations centres, local manufacturing of medical countermeasures, community health workers, genomic surveillance and sustainable domestic financing.
“Africa has the institutions, expertise and leadership to respond effectively. What is required now is speed, unity, solidarity and trust in our collective capacity.
“The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and all countries at risk must know that they are not alone. Africa stands with them,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
