WHO steps up Ebola preparedness in 22 countries amid regional health risks

What the report says

The World Health Organisation has stepped up Ebola preparedness in three priority countries in its Eastern Mediterranean Region — Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan — citing conflict, displacement and fragile health systems that could make a response harder if an outbreak were to occur. The Independent Uganda reported that WHO is focusing on strengthening surveillance, laboratory capacity, infection prevention and emergency response systems across the wider region, which includes 22 countries and territories in parts of Africa, Asia and Europe.

The move comes amid concern over a major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which WHO says has also been linked to infections in Kenya. According to the report, no Ebola cases have been confirmed in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, but the agency warns that humanitarian crises and overstretched health services could delay detection and control. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the region as facing severe humanitarian pressure.

Between July and September, WHO sent missions to Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan to assess preparedness and identify weaknesses in surveillance, testing, infection prevention, case management and emergency coordination. It is now providing technical support, training, medical supplies and simulation exercises, alongside regional planning tools and guidance for travellers and communities.

The article says the effort is meant to close gaps before the virus spreads into places with limited capacity to respond. Background context: Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids and contaminated materials, and rapid isolation, contact tracing and safe burial practices are central to outbreak control.