South Africa increased its contribution to $13.5 million as the African Union intensified calls for funding and coordinated action….reports Africa Daily news Desk
African leaders and international partners have renewed calls for urgent action to contain the ongoing Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, while pledging additional financial and operational support to strengthen the continent’s response.
The appeal came during a High Level African Union (AU) meeting on the Ebola outbreak convened by Burundian President and AU Chairperson Evariste Ndayishimiye, bringing together Heads of State and Government, United Nations officials, global health institutions, development partners and regional organisations.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking in his capacity as the African Union Champion for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention and Response, announced an increase in South Africa’s contribution to the continental response effort.
“I am pleased to announce that South Africa is increasing its pledge to 13.5 million US dollars as our commitment to solidarity and sovereignty for the people of this continent,” Ramaphosa said.
The South African leader urged governments, financial institutions and development partners to honour previous commitments and increase support for the response plan, warning that continued transmission of the virus could have devastating consequences.
“It has been a month since we last met, where we demonstrated political will and mobilised just under 500 million US dollars in pledges from various countries, global health institutions, banks and philanthropic organisations,” he said.
Ramaphosa stressed that with no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment currently available for the Bundibugyo strain, rapid action was essential to halt transmission before the outbreak escalates further.
“The West Africa Ebola epidemic demonstrated that delayed action can transform a localised outbreak into a regional and global crisis,” he warned.
He called for strengthened cross border cooperation, expanded diagnostic testing, enhanced contact tracing and greater public awareness campaigns across affected regions.
The South African President also highlighted the impact of insecurity on response efforts, urging political leaders to support the creation of safe corridors for the movement of medical supplies, healthcare workers and humanitarian assistance.
“We must seek a ceasefire to allow the Ebola response to proceed unhindered,” he said.
Ramaphosa further used the occasion to call for greater investment in Africa’s health manufacturing capabilities, arguing that the continent cannot continue to rely solely on external markets during public health emergencies.
He advocated accelerating local pharmaceutical production, strengthening the African Medicines Agency and advancing the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism to improve access to life saving medical products.
Addressing the gathering, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf underscored the need for coordinated continental action to prevent further spread of the disease.
Youssouf called for stronger national and regional response plans, improved surveillance systems and enhanced preparedness measures, while urging sustained solidarity among member states and international partners.
He also expressed condolences to families affected by the outbreak and praised frontline health workers, emergency responders and affected countries for their efforts to contain the disease.
The AU Commission chief thanked member states, humanitarian organisations and development partners for financial contributions and technical support already provided to the affected countries.
He reaffirmed the African Union’s commitment to working closely with governments, regional institutions and international organisations to strengthen resilience and ensure that no member state is left behind in confronting the outbreak.
The summit focused on mobilising political support, financial resources and operational assistance for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) led response plan, which seeks to contain the outbreak and bolster regional health security.
Leaders stressed that while the immediate priority remains stopping transmission and protecting vulnerable communities, the crisis should also serve as a catalyst for building stronger and more resilient health systems across Africa.
“The world will not be safe from Ebola until we have eliminated it everywhere,” Ramaphosa said, calling for a united global effort to defeat the disease and strengthen preparedness for future health emergencies.African Leaders Renew Ebola Fight, South Africa Raises Pledge to $13.5 Million
