Cabinet Welcomes AfDB's $13 Million Ebola Response for Central Africa

Health officials have identified the outbreak as being caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.

South Africa's Cabinet has welcomed the African Development Bank Group's (AfDB) approval of US$13 million in emergency grants to strengthen the response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced the decision while briefing the media on the outcomes of the latest Cabinet meeting. She said the funding will help reinforce emergency health measures, limit the spread of the virus and reduce illness and deaths in communities most affected by the outbreak.

The financial support follows calls by President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his role as the African Union Champion for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR), for stronger African cooperation, increased humanitarian assistance and greater investment in health solutions led by the continent.

Majority of funding directed to the DRC

The Ebola outbreak was first reported in Ituri Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on 15 May 2026. Since then, cases have also been confirmed in Bunia, Rwampara and Mongwalu, with the disease spreading further into North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

Under the funding package, US$10 million will come from reallocated resources within the AfDB's existing DRC portfolio and will be channelled through the World Health Organization (WHO). An additional US$3 million will be provided through the Bank's Multi-Country Emergency Assistance Project, covering the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, with implementation led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The DRC, which remains the centre of the outbreak, will receive US$11 million, while Uganda and South Sudan will each receive US$1 million.

Focus on surveillance and community protection

According to the African Development Bank, the funding will be used in partnership with national health ministries to strengthen disease surveillance, improve early diagnosis, expand community engagement and public awareness campaigns, and enhance coordination between neighbouring countries.

These measures are intended to improve the speed and effectiveness of the regional response while helping health authorities contain further transmission of the virus.

Concern over Bundibugyo Ebola strain

Health officials have identified the outbreak as being caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. The strain is considered particularly dangerous, and there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment available.

Cabinet said the emergency support demonstrates the importance of regional solidarity and coordinated action in responding to public health emergencies, particularly when they pose risks across national borders.