WHO chief calls for reconsideration of travel bans as DR Congo battles Ebola outbreak
Kinshasa, May 30
World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday called on countries that have imposed travel bans or closed borders in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to reconsider such measures.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Bunia, the capital of the northeastern Ituri Province and the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak, Tedros said such restrictions could complicate response efforts and risk discouraging transparency and trust, which are essential to saving lives, Xinhua news agency reported.
"I call on countries that have imposed travel bans or border closures to reconsider. These measures make the response harder, and they discourage transparency and trust that saves lives," Tedros said.
Despite the lack of approved vaccines and specific medicines, the WHO chief said patients could still recover if they receive timely, quality medical care.
Tedros said his visit to Bunia was also aimed at engaging directly with affected communities in this outbreak, in which over 1000 suspected cases have been reported.
Uganda has also reported nine confirmed cases after detecting two new infections in the capital, Kampala, the Ugandan health ministry said on Friday.
DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba said the country aims, "in the best-case scenario," to contain and end the outbreak within "four to six months," based on its experience in responding to epidemics and the known course of the Ebola virus disease.
He said the immediate priority is to contain the virus within the three affected provinces -- Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu -- and prevent further spread.
Kamba also highlighted the country's strengthened laboratory testing capacity, with no backlog of samples remaining. Around 900 samples had been tested, of which about 260 were positive, he said, adding that the country now has the capacity to process all incoming samples, even if daily testing rises to 200 or 300 samples.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone from the US, I get the fear – Ebola sounds terrifying. But this is why we need science-based policy, not panic. The risk of someone infected flying from DRC to India or America is extremely low if they screen properly. Travel bans just cause economic hardship for no real gain.
India has come a long way from the panic days of COVID. We need to support WHO's approach – transparency and collaboration over isolation. After all, viruses don't care about borders anyway. Hope our government keeps flights open but with proper screening at airports. Common sense should prevail.
I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I get WHO's logic – travel bans can hurt response efforts and push countries to hide outbreaks. On the other hand, India has limited healthcare resources in rural areas. A single imported case could overwhelm local hospitals. Maybe targeted restrictions on high-risk travel, not blanket bans? 🤔
The fact that DRC has tested 900 samples with only 260 positive is reassuring – that's less than 30% positivity. Plus they now have capacity for 200-300 tests daily. This shows they're being transparent. If countries like India and Uganda keep borders open with proper screening, we can help without risking our own people. Clinical care works even without vaccines, as WHO says 💪
I find it ironic that Western countries who imposed travel bans during COVID are now pushing for open borders during an Ebola outbreak. The WHO needs to be consistent – either travel bans work or they don't. That said, I trust the science. If the risk is low, keep trade and travel open.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.