WHO chief warns of ‘catastrophic collision’ of Ebola and conflict in DR Congo

The World Health Organisation has sounded the alarm over a dangerous convergence of disease and warfare in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that an active Ebola outbreak in the country's eastern Ituri province is rapidly spiralling beyond the control of health responders. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued an urgent appeal Wednesday (May 27), calling for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict-torn region, where ongoing fighting has created near-impossible conditions for medical teams working to contain the deadly virus.

"Eastern DRC now faces a catastrophic collision of disease and conflict," Tedros wrote on X, stressing that the outbreak was “outpacing the response.”

Ebola, one of the world's most feared infectious diseases, carries a high fatality rate and spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected individuals. Controlling an outbreak demands rapid case detection, contact tracing, isolation of patients, and safe burial practices all of which require stable, accessible conditions on the ground. In a conflict zone, each of those pillars becomes extraordinarily difficult to maintain.

Ituri province has long been one of DRC's most volatile regions, plagued by decades of ethnic violence and armed group activity. Health workers operating in such environments face constant threats to their safety, restricted movement, and disrupted supply chains for critical medical equipment and vaccines. Communities living under the shadow of armed conflict are also less likely to seek care or cooperate with health teams, allowing transmission chains to go undetected and unchecked.

The WHO chief's appeal underscores a grim reality that global health officials have confronted repeatedly in the DRC: disease outbreaks cannot be separated from the political and military contexts in which they occur. The country has battled more Ebola outbreaks than any other nation in the world, and experience has shown that insecurity remains the single greatest obstacle to an effective response.

Without a ceasefire and guaranteed humanitarian access, experts warn the outbreak could expand further, threatening neighbouring communities and potentially crossing international borders, transforming a regional crisis into a far broader public health emergency.