Health
WHO warns as largest-ever Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak surpasses 1,400 cases
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the largest ever recorded, with more than 1,400 confirmed cases and over 400 deaths.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, disclosed this on Friday during an online media briefing on the Ebola situation in the DRC and Uganda.
Mr Janabi described the outbreak as one of Africa’s most serious public health emergencies this year and called for sustained international support to bring the virus under control.
Despite the rising number of infections, he said response efforts have recorded encouraging progress through stronger surveillance, improved contact tracing, earlier case detection and increasing patient recoveries.
According to him, transmission remains concentrated in a small number of hotspots, although weekly infections have reached their highest levels since the outbreak began, highlighting the need for intensified response measures.
Mr Janabi noted that the current outbreak has surpassed all previous Bundibugyo Ebola outbreaks combined, exceeding those recorded in Uganda in 2007 and the DRC in 2012.
“Contact tracing has improved significantly, rising from 25 to 83 per cent in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Uganda has achieved 100 per cent follow-up of identified contacts,” he said.
“Better surveillance has increased case detection, explaining that higher reported infections partly reflect improved community trust and stronger health systems.
“Earlier detection enables patients to receive treatment sooner, improves monitoring of contacts, and helps health workers interrupt transmission before additional infections occur.”
Mr Janabi warned that a recent imported Ebola case in Uganda demonstrates the continued threat of cross-border transmission as long as infections persist in the eastern DRC.
He called for stronger collaboration between neighboring countries through timely information sharing, coordinated preparedness, and joint surveillance to prevent further international spread.
He also commended the governments of Uganda and DRC, frontline health workers, Africa CDC, and development partners for sustaining response efforts under difficult conditions.
Clinical trial
Mr Janabi announced the enrollment of the first patients into a WHO-supported clinical trial evaluating potential treatments specifically targeting the Bundibugyo Ebola virus.
He described the trial as a major scientific milestone that could improve patient care during the current outbreak while strengthening future Ebola responses.
He urged governments to expand treatment capacity, accelerate laboratory testing, rapidly investigate suspected cases, and ensure health workers receive adequate protection and support.
He also appealed for sustained financial support, noting that response efforts require resources, speed, and partnerships rather than commitment alone.
Also, the Director-General, Ministry of Health in Uganda, Charles Olaro, said that the country reported 20 confirmed Ebola cases as of 2 July, including 15 imported infections and five Ugandan nationals identified during institutional quarantine.
Mr Olaro said no community transmission has been recorded in Uganda, with surveillance systems remaining fully activated to detect and contain new infections.
“Uganda has monitored 836 identified contacts, while several have completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up period without developing Ebola symptoms,” he said.
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He said experience from previous outbreaks had enhanced Uganda’s preparedness by improving surveillance, community engagement, laboratory capacity and emergency response coordination.
“Uganda and the DRC continue sharing surveillance information through a formal cross-border response mechanism to strengthen regional outbreak containment.
“Laboratory testing capacity in DRC has expanded dramatically, increasing from fewer than 30 daily samples to more than 2,000.
“More than 200 patients have recovered and been discharged from treatment centres, reflecting improvements in clinical care and earlier diagnosis.”
He added that epidemiological trends remain concerning, projecting that confirmed cases could approach 1,500 if transmission continues in affected hotspots.
According to Mr Olaro, the outbreak can still be contained through sustained funding, regional solidarity, scientific innovation, and continued cooperation among governments, communities, and international partners.
(NAN)
The Yobe State Government has approved the enrolment of state and local government retirees into the Social Equity Programme of its health insurance scheme.
The Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA), Babagana Tijjani, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Damaturu.
Mr Tijjani said the approval was granted by Governor Mai Mala Buni following a recommendation from the agency.
He said the initiative aims to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare spending among pensioners and improve access to comprehensive, quality healthcare services at YSCHMA-accredited health facilities.
According to him, the approval underscores the state government’s commitment to improving the welfare of retirees by ensuring they continue to access quality healthcare after retirement.
“This approval is another demonstration of the governor’s commitment to protecting the health and well-being of residents of the state,” he said.
“By bringing retirees under the social equity programme, the government is ensuring that senior citizens can access quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship.”
The executive secretary further said that the inclusion of retirees in the scheme aligned with the administration’s healthcare reform agenda and the state’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
He also described the development as a significant step in expanding access to healthcare and strengthening social protection.
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Mr Tijjani commended the governor for approving the initiative and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to its effective implementation.
He said the YSCHMA would work closely with pension unions, relevant government institutions and healthcare providers to ensure a transparent enrolment process and seamless access to healthcare services for eligible beneficiaries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the YSCHMA was established under Yobe State Law No. 7 of 2019 to implement the state’s contributory healthcare scheme and promote equitable, affordable and qualitative healthcare services for residents.
The federal government has launched the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services.
The framework introduces nutrition standards for food purchased with public funds as part of efforts to reduce unhealthy diets and curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
The guidelines, unveiled on Monday in Abuja at an event themed “Public Procurement of Food: Promoting a Culture of National Wellness Through the Food Value Chain,” are expected to influence food served in public institutions, including schools, hospitals, correctional centres and military establishments, by setting evidence-based standards on nutrition, food safety and quality.
Delivering his keynote address at the launch, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, said the initiative marks a shift from viewing public procurement as a routine administrative process to using it as a strategic tool to improve public health and national development.
“When the government demands healthier, safer and more nutritious food, it creates incentives for the entire food system to innovate, improve quality and align with higher public health standards,” he said.
Why it matters
Mr Salako said the government remains the country’s largest institutional purchaser of food, meaning procurement decisions have the potential to influence food production, consumer behaviour and nutrition standards across the food value chain.
According to him, the guidelines establish limits on sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats in foods procured by public institutions while encouraging balanced and nutritious diets.
He said the document complements existing national policies, including the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction, the Trans Fat Regulation and the 2023 National Policy on Food Safety and Quality.
Rising burden of unhealthy diets
Mr Salako noted that unhealthy diets contribute to about 7.2 million deaths globally every year, driven largely by excessive consumption of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats as well as inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
He revealed that the average Nigerian adult consumes between 3.9 grammes and 4.9 grammes of sodium daily, almost double the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended limit of 2 grammes.
Mr Salako added that increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to rising rates of obesity and diabetes, prompting the introduction of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, while industrial trans fats have also been restricted under Nigeria’s Trans Fatty Acid Regulation.
“These measures are designed to control dietary patterns that fuel the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, placing enormous pressure on health systems, national economies and household incomes,” he said.
Child malnutrition remains a concern
Mr Salako also highlighted the country’s persistent nutrition challenges, noting that malnutrition remains a direct or underlying cause of nearly half of the deaths among children under five years.
He said the Nigeria Mini Demographic and Health Survey found that about four in every 10 Nigerian children under five are stunted, while nearly two million children suffer severe acute malnutrition annually.
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“These are not merely health statistics. They represent profound human capital challenges with significant implications for educational attainment, labour productivity, household prosperity, national competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.”
Implementation key
Mr Salako stressed that the success of the guidelines would depend on effective implementation rather than their launch.
He urged procurement and accounting officers across government institutions to ensure compliance, noting that procurement decisions influence health outcomes, productivity and public confidence in government.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to promote disease prevention through healthier public policies as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
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