Africa CDC chief says the continent needs to invest its own funds in Ebola response, vaccine

Africa's top health agency has issued an urgent directive for continental self-reliance in battling a rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak, warning against continued dependence on foreign aid for health security. The call from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya comes as a confirmed outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda has claimed over 200 lives out of 894 confirmed cases since May 15, with up to 35,000 contacts, marking it as the worst at this stage for this strain. The current crisis, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern declared in May 2026, highlights Africa's persistent vulnerability to outbreaks of strains like Bundibugyo, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists. This burgeoning health emergency underscores Africa CDC broader push for the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) Agenda, which aims to shift the continent from a recipient of aid to a self-sufficient actor in global health. Efforts like the newly established African Epidemic Fund, which has secured initial pledges of $80 million from African governments, and an additional $910 million from a broader donor conference, are crucial steps towards financing the response and developing indigenous medical countermeasures. Looking ahead, the immediate focus is on containing the rapidly spreading Bundibugyo virus, with the Africa CDC and WHO launching a joint Continental Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for June to November 2026, costing $518 million. Simultaneously, the push for local pharmaceutical manufacturing, currently less than 1% of vaccine needs and 3% of medicines on the continent, will intensify, targeting 60% local production by 2040. This ambition, while challenging amid issues like fragmented markets and reliance on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients, is central to breaking the cycle of dependency and ensuring Africa's resilience against future health shocks.