President Cyril Ramaphosa's warning comes as the WHO declares an emergency over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged African countries to strengthen cross-border surveillance and cooperation to contain Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, warning that the virus "does not respect borders."

In his capacity as African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, Ramaphosa said the outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Kampala, Uganda, required urgent and coordinated action across the continent.

"Ebola does not respect borders," Ramaphosa said.

"In a region marked by high population mobility, insecurity, and humanitarian movement, the risk of regional spread is significant and demands urgent, coordinated action."

Ramaphosa commended the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda for their "swift leadership and transparency" in declaring the outbreaks following laboratory confirmation.

"Early detection, rapid reporting, and decisive action remain critical to containing outbreaks before they escalate into a wider regional crisis," he said.

He said Africa stood in solidarity with the governments and people of both countries, particularly affected communities and frontline healthcare workers, while also praising neighbouring countries that had moved quickly to strengthen preparedness, cross-border surveillance, and emergency coordination.

Ramaphosa also commended the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention under the leadership of Director-General Jean Kaseya, working together with the World Health Organization, for providing rapid support to affected countries and coordinating a continental response.

He said the response was building on "the successful continental incident management model deployed during the mpox response".

Ramaphosa welcomed efforts by national authorities, Africa CDC, the WHO, and partners to strengthen surveillance, laboratory systems, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, risk communication, case management, and access to medical countermeasures.

He called on the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to sustain strong political leadership and continue working closely with frontline responders and communities "in an environment of trust and transparency to stop these outbreaks at their source and prevent further spread".

Ramaphosa urged affected and at-risk countries to intensify cross-border collaboration, strengthen surveillance at formal and informal points of entry, and ensure rapid information sharing, particularly in areas affected by insecurity and population displacement.

"As the chair of the Global Leaders Network for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health, I make a special plea to ensure that women, children, and adolescents are not left behind and that routine services do not backslide as we handle this crisis," he said.

The president said the outbreaks were also a reminder that Africa needed to continue investing in resilient public health systems and regional health security structures despite declining Official Development Assistance.

"These outbreaks are also a reminder that, despite the decline in Official Development Assistance, Africa must continue investing - including through increased domestic financing - in resilient public health systems and regional health security architecture," Ramaphosa said.

He said preparedness required sustained investment in national public health institutes, emergency operations centres, laboratory and genomic surveillance networks, trained healthcare workers, and rapid response capabilities.

Ramaphosa also called on African Union member states and international partners to strengthen support for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response through timely financing, technical assistance, medical countermeasures, and direct support to affected communities.

"Solidarity must translate into concrete action," he said.

Ramaphosa said he would continue working with the African Union Commission, heads of state and government, Africa CDC, and partners to ensure that Africa's response remained coordinated, adequately financed, and anchored in "the principles of solidarity, health security and sovereignty".

"The peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and the wider region must not face this threat alone," Ramaphosa said.

"Africa has the experience, institutions, and resolve to contain these outbreaks. What is required now is urgency, unity, and collective action."

First published by IOL