May 30 - The head of the World Health Organization arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo this week to oversee efforts against the latest Ebola outbreak and to press for stronger local engagement in the response.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus landed in the country on Thursday to coordinate the international response. By Friday, Congolese authorities had recorded 1,028 suspected cases in the ongoing outbreak.
Speaking to reporters after reaching Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri - a focal point of the crisis - Tedros emphasized the central role he expects communities to play.
"The communities understand the problems better and they know the solution as well," he said. "Yes, the international community is involved, under the leadership of the government of DRC. At the same time, community ownership is important. That’s why we are here to discuss with the community to see how the response is running and, if there are challenges, to help."
The WHO chief also stopped in the national capital. On arrival in Kinshasa on Thursday, he urged additional international backing for the response, saying the WHO had so far received only a third of its funding requirements.
International aid organisations monitoring the outbreak have raised alarm about the speed of transmission. French medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres issued a warning on Saturday that the current outbreak - the 17th since 1976 - is spreading at an unparalleled rate.
"Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration," Alan Gonzalez, MSF deputy director of operations, said in a statement. Gonzalez added that both the number of specialist medical organisations on the ground and the level of support being provided remain well below what is needed to address the crisis.
In Bunia and other affected areas, Tedros said WHO teams are engaging with local leaders to assess how response measures are performing and to identify any obstacles requiring additional support.
The situation continues to evolve as international and local actors work to scale up efforts in the provinces at the centre of the outbreak.