Gates Foundation commits $15m to Ebola response as WHO suspects 900 cases

To support measures to contain the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda — which the World Health Organisation (WHO) suspects has reached 900 cases — the Gates Foundation has committed an initial $15m in emergency funding.

25 May 2026

WHO workers mobilised 4.7 tonnes of essential medical supplies and emergency kits to support the affected regions in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. Image credit: World Health Organisation/Handout via Reuters

One budget, one team

"No single country or institution can contain an outbreak alone, especially when there are risks of cross-border spread," said the foundation in a statement.

"We strongly support the 'one plan, one budget, one team' African-led response partners have endorsed, focused on rapid containment and operational coordination."

The funding will be allocated as follows:

$5m to Africa CDC for regional coordination, rapid deployment, and cross-border surveillance.
$5m to WHO AFRO for frontline operational support to countries.
$5m to WHO Headquarters to support rapid procurement, diagnostics, and surge logistics for critical response commodities.

The WHO and the Africa CDC have declared the outbreak a public health emergency, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated regional and global action.

A health worker takes the temperature of a woman passing through the Kanyaruchinya checkpoint, as authorities and aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, in the northern entry into the city of Goma, North Kivu province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Image credit: Reuters/Arlette Bashizi

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Alarming

Reuters previously reported that the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine, has alarmed experts because it went undetected for so long while spreading across a densely populated area, making it difficult to trace and isolate the contacts of infected individuals.

Scientists at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) are leading rapid efforts to support understanding and containment of this outbreak.

While Congo has tackled 16 previous Ebola outbreaks, first responders say they lack basic supplies, ranging from painkillers and face masks to the motorcycles needed to trace contacts, undermining their efforts to prevent further spread.

South Africa has also pledged $2.5m to support the Ebola response in the region.