India has dispatched emergency medical supplies to support efforts to control the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
In a statement shared on social media, the Ethiopia-based Africa CDC confirmed that the consignment donated by the Government of India was received in Uganda through its Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre. The medical supplies will be distributed to affected communities in eastern Congo as part of the emergency response to the outbreak.
The shipment includes essential diagnostic kits, therapeutics, infection prevention materials, and case management support equipment. Africa CDC thanked India for its continued contribution toward strengthening public health systems and supporting disease outbreak responses across the African continent.
The aid comes amid growing concern over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, one of the six known Ebola species first identified in Uganda in 2007. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments available for this strain.
The WHO declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17. As of May 26, over 1,000 suspected infections and at least 220 deaths had been reported. Uganda has also confirmed several cases linked to the outbreak.
Ebola is a highly infectious and often fatal disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or infected animals. Common symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, and severe internal or external bleeding in advanced cases.
India has steadily expanded its healthcare and development partnership with African nations in recent years by supplying medicines, vaccines, and emergency medical assistance during major health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest humanitarian support reflects India’s continuing commitment to global health cooperation and emergency response efforts.
