Africa CDC chief says the continent needs to invest its own funds in Ebola response, vaccine
Source: AP
Updated 4:21 PM EDT, June 19, 2026
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — African officials must step up financing to respond and develop vaccines for the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda, the continent’s top health agency said on Friday, warning that the continent cannot continue to rely on foreign partners for its health needs.
The outbreak has claimed more than 200 lives out of 894 confirmed cases since May 15, with up to 35,000 contacts, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The number of cases is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed weeks late.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya told The Associated Press in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, that the current outbreak — the worst ever at this stage — is yet another reminder for Africa to invest more in its health sector to reduce its reliance on foreign partners.
“If this outbreak was in Europe, the United States or other continents, they would already have developed a vaccine and medicine,” Kaseya said. “We don’t want to be a continent begging every day. We want to be a continent of people who know what they are doing and who are respected because they are doing the right thing,” he added.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/congo-ebola-africa-cdc-ituri-a5bfda53dbef567146cc1b39cce6f3f3