The African Union Commission, through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), is reinforcing its support to the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other parts of Africa, following the declaration of the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
Immediately after the declaration by WHO on 17 July, Africa CDC briefed the leadership of the AU Commission and the Peace and Security Council and developed an expanded response plan which includes participation of many departments and units of the African Union, including the Peace and Security Department. This expanded plan will not be limited to the DRC but also includes countries that share borders with the DRC and other countries within the region.
The Chairperson of the AUC Moussa Faki Mahamat receives weekly briefings on the situation in the DRC and progress in the implementation of the new response plan and to garner support from Africans for an improved response to this deadly disease, the Chairperson will convene a multi-sectoral partners’ forum in the first week of September 2019. The “Partners’ Conference” will mirror a similar session held during the previous Ebola outbreak in three countries in West Africa, and will also include the private sector in Africa to gain the necessary support required to end the current Ebola outbreak and prevent it from spreading to other countries.