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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), defended the agency on Wednesday (May 20) following remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had criticized the WHO for being "a little late" in identifying a recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to a Politico report, Tedros responded by clarifying that the WHO supports countries rather than replacing their efforts.
The Ebola outbreak in Africa, believed to have killed over 130 people, is attributed to the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain with no existing vaccines or treatments. The WHO has been actively involved in supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo since the first signs of the outbreak. Tedros emphasized that any delays in detection were due to the conflict in the region and the rare viral strain involved.
The WHO also pushed back against a U.S. travel ban on non-U.S. travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda, calling for public health measures like contact tracing and isolation instead. Stat News reported that the WHO stressed the importance of understanding how Ebola is transmitted, noting it requires direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
The outbreak has been declared a Continental Public Health Emergency by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which is mobilizing resources for response efforts. The U.S. State Department announced plans to fund up to 50 treatment clinics in the affected regions. Despite Rubio's criticism, the WHO continues to work with international partners to combat the outbreak, with potential vaccine trials in development.