The World Health Organization has urged warring parties in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to agree to an immediate ceasefire as an Ebola outbreak spreads rapidly in conflict-hit regions.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called for an urgent ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that ongoing fighting is severely undermining efforts to contain an escalating Ebola outbreak.
He said the region is facing a “catastrophic collision of disease and conflict”, with outbreaks in Ituri province spreading faster than the public health response can contain them.
Dr Tedros, who is due to visit the region this week, said: “We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling.”
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. The World Health Organization has declared it an emergency of international concern due to its rapid spread.
More than 900 suspected cases and over 200 suspected deaths have been reported across eastern Congo, including North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, areas partially controlled by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
Aid agencies say the scale of the outbreak is being worsened by mass displacement caused by continued fighting.
Humanitarian organisation Save the Children said a quarter of confirmed deaths are children, warning that urgent improvements in infection prevention are needed.
Aid groups also report that overcrowded displacement camps, particularly in neighbouring Uganda’s West Nile region, are operating at more than double capacity, increasing the risk of further transmission.
Health workers on the ground say they are facing severe shortages of basic medical supplies, including protective equipment, soap, chlorine, and body bags.
A doctor in Butembo, North Kivu, said facilities are struggling to cope with fatalities.
“If there are more deaths I don’t know how we will manage,” the doctor said, speaking anonymously.
The doctor added that in some cases staff have had to purchase essential supplies themselves due to shortages and funding gaps.
Humanitarian organisations say attacks on medical workers and deep mistrust in affected communities are slowing containment efforts.
While international donors have pledged around $500 million to respond to the outbreak, health officials say not all of the funds have yet been disbursed.
Aid agencies are continuing to deploy staff and equipment to affected areas, but insecurity remains a major obstacle.
Despite ongoing mediation efforts led by the United States and other international actors, fighting in eastern Congo continues, leaving millions displaced.
The WHO has reiterated that without a cessation of hostilities, efforts to control the outbreak risk being overwhelmed.
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further militar...
A fire involving two gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port has prompted conflicting reports over whether the incident was caused by a drone strike or a...
Pakistan has declared hepatitis C a national emergency and launched a nationwide campaign to screen more than 164 million people, as it steps up effor...
French DJ and electropop musician Kavinsky, whose atmospheric sound shaped a generation of electronic music fans, has died at the age of 50, French authorities said on Tuesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if the groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted three tankers and stopped them in Iran's southern waters early on Wednesday. It also announced a ballistic missile attack on two U.S. bases in Jordan.
On 29 July, AnewZ's Daybreak focused on meetings involving Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Benjamin Netanyahu, escalating tensions in the Middle East following U.S. military action, and the funeral of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
The European Union has added Russian energy company Inter RAO to its latest sanctions package, raising questions over the future of Georgia's power sector. The move could have implications for electricity supplies in Tbilisi because of the company's indirect ownership of key energy assets.
Russia’s largest retailer Wildberries has begun searching for warehouse space in Kazakhstan, Moscow’s Kommersant newspaper has reported, citing sources in the real estate market. It comes after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged around 10 per cent of the online marketplace's logistics hubs in Russia.
Yerevan has seen a surge in Russians seeking apartments ahead of Moscow's parliamentary elections in September and amid rumours of mass mobilisation, Russian-language publication Verstka has reported, citing anecdotal evidence from local estate agents.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment