WMA Deeply Concerned by Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak, Slow International Response and Escalating Violence

Rotterdam, October 8, 2026

The World Medical Association (WMA) is deeply concerned by the scale of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, the slow, inadequate international response, and escalating violence.

Declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 May 2026, the outbreak has become an expanding epidemic with sustained transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As fatalities rise, attacks on healthcare facilities and staff persist, and front-line health workers risk their lives without pay.

This week, one death from Ebola occurred in Nairobi with a travel history from the DRC, through Uganda and into Kenya highlighting the fragile and highly dynamic nature of the outbreak.

Recalling its Statement on Epidemics and Pandemics, the WMA calls for an immediate increase in funding and global solidarity to support surveillance, contact tracing and treatment, as well as ensuring that health personnel have access to personal protective equipment, adequate training and remuneration.

The WMA also urges the recognition of the importance of community engagement in supporting infection control measures, including safe and dignified burials of people who have died from the virus.

The WMA urges WHO and its partners to ensure that any clinical trials and specimen collection conducted follow the ethical principles outlined in the WMA Declaration of Helsinki and Declaration of Taipei.

-END-