Health
Five Lessons Learned During Latest Ebola Outbreak in DRC
By MSF
Four people died in the most recent Ebola outbreak that occurred in a remote, forested area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This small outbreak (five laboratory-confirmed and three probable cases) was quickly curtailed. The international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) shares lessons learned from this first occurrence of the deadly virus since the end of the large-scale Ebola outbreak that devastated West Africa in 2014-2015.
Train frontline health teams
The scale of this outbreak was minimised, thanks in no small part to a nurse named Dieumerci. With a name that literally translates to ‘Thank God’ in French, Dieumerci works at a Ministry of Health centre in northeast DRC, where the first Ebola cases started emerging.
He detected the risk of Ebola in a seriously ill man at the hospital, and rang the alarm. This man turned out to be the second confirmed case during the recent outbreak. Unlike in West Africa prior to the last major outbreak, Ebola is known in the DRC: the Ebola River, where the virus was first discovered, runs 100 kilometres away from where Dieumerci works.
That doesn’t mean that it is common disease in the area, but still, Dieumerci recognised the symptoms. His quick actions should not be taken for granted. Healthcare workers play a crucial role not only for patients, but also for general epidemiological surveillance. However, in many developing countries human resources within the health sector remain starkly inadequate.
On that fateful day where the Ebola patient came to the health centre, Dieumerci could have easily been on a sick leave, or visiting family somewhere else in the country. One cannot rely on a single individual to play the crucial role of on-the-ground surveillance.
What is needed are proper surveillance systems in resource-poor countries, which were clearly lacking in West Africa at the time of the epidemic. So all in all: thank you Dieumerci. We should all hope that during the next outbreak – be it Ebola or any other infectious disease – there will be another Dieumerci to ring the alarm bell for everyone’s sake.
Finally, a forgotten disease is taken seriously
The word “Ebola” doesn’t ring the same after 2014-2015’s devastating epidemic. At least 11,300 people were killed, and over 28,000 were infected. As a result, Dieumerci’s alarm bell sent shock waves across the world. Congolese authorities immediately activated their outbreak response team and had strong support from WHO and other organisations.
Henry Gray, MSF’s project coordinator during this recent outbreak, has worked on seven haemorrhagic fever interventions in DRC, Uganda and West Africa, to name a few. “The pressure we felt was very different from previous comparable outbreaks: it was clearly at the top of the agenda,” he says. “When it comes to Ebola, we have all learned that it’s better to be safe than sorry in order not to repeat the disaster of 2014-2015.
“However, it is sad to still see that other outbreaks in countries do not trigger the same mobilisation, even in regards to the main killer diseases like cholera or measles.
“Once the Ebola outbreak was over, we were able to re-assign some of the MSF staff towards a serious cholera outbreak on the other side of the country. Our teams went on to treat 1,100 cholera patients. “Considering the dire health needs in many parts of the country, additional support is always welcome”.
Old tricks are timeless – back to basics
The promise of new drugs or vaccines should not overshadow the necessity of putting in place the basic pillars of outbreak control.
It all starts with good surveillance, followed by the five pillars of outbreak control:
Safely isolating and treating the sick.
Actively looking for potential new cases and surveilling those who have been in contact with them.
Burying the dead safely.
Engaging and mobilising the affected communities.
Offering psychological support.
In West Africa, the havoc wrecked by Ebola on the entire health system created more indirect than direct victims of the virus: children became prone to infectious diseases because they weren’t vaccinated; Childbirth complications led to the deaths of mothers and/or children because there were no healthcare workers to care for them; untreated cases of malaria became fatal…
International health actors need to do more to support local health facilities that often have much smaller means and equipment: training staff, ensuring there is basic protection equipment available, and that their pharmacies are stocked with first aid supplies and basic medicines. Our experience in DRC has shown that training frontline workers, even when done ad-hoc, can bring sustained effects to improve their performance in surveillance.
Location, location, location
Like the majority of haemorrhagic fever outbreaks prior to West Africa, the recent one occurred in a very remote, forested area.
Here, the virus was already known to exist within an animal reservoir (assumed to be fruit bats) that is occasionally transmitted to apes, monkeys or men. Some people are very mobile in the region, but can only go as far and as fast as their available transportation; which is pretty much nothing beyond walking and the occasional motorbike.
Dieumerci’s village is 45 kilometres from Likati, the closest town. It is home to 18,000 people, with a majestic cathedral and large, but under equipped, hospital serving as remnants of a time when a railroad was still linking plantations across the country. Today that railroad has been eaten by the encroaching jungle. By contrast, in Guéckédou, Guinea – where the West Africa outbreak started – people can jump on a motorbike and be in the heart of the capital Conakry and its 2.5 million people within two days.
These contrasting examples show how isolation from major cities can keep the spread of deadly disease under control.
Medical innovations are not the magic bullet
At the time of the latest outbreak, MSF was willing to use Ebola treatments which were still in development. However this window closed as the outbreak stopped before the process to allow the use of the experimental treatments was complete. However, this event acted as a ‘booster’ – speeding up the process of preparing medical protocols so that new drugs (still in the experimental phase) can be used in ways that are as safe and ethical as possible.
The rVsV-ZEBOV vaccine (the most advanced investigational vaccine candidate for an Ebola outbreak today) is in development, and needs to be implemented through a study protocol. This, and a vaccine strategy – including informed consent under good clinical practice – were mandatory requirements needed from us to access them.
Soon enough, a study protocol was developed and approved by the MSF Ethics Review Board a few months ago. It was ready for implementation should an outbreak occur. Additionally, a dedicated MSF research team was ready to be deployed. Unfortunately, our negotiations at the DRC Ministry of Health level only took place when the outbreak had already been declared.
It took some time for us to explain what we were planning to do, and how this would differ from a vaccination campaign. But, we managed to obtain authorisation from all the regulatory bodies to start activities in case of a future outbreak.
It is likely that the next outbreak (and trust us, there will be a next outbreak) will happen in a similar setting. We can continue to learn how to best tackle it, and ensure that the West Africa Ebola outbreak remains an isolated tragedy.
Since 1990 MSF has responded to over a dozen outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa. During the devastating Ebola outbreak that struck mainly Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone in 2014-2015, MSF launched one of the largest emergency operations in its 44-year history.
MSF admitted 10,310 patients to its Ebola management centres of which 5,201 were confirmed Ebola cases, representing one-third of all WHO-confirmed cases. During the first five months of the epidemic, MSF handled more than 85 percent of all hospitalized cases in the affected countries.
At the peak of the epidemic, MSF employed nearly 4,300 staff—most of whom were from the affected countries—who ran Ebola management centres, conducted surveillance, contact tracing, and health promotion, and provided psychological support.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has launched a €4.2 million programme supported by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
The initiative, known as the EU Support to Public Health Institutes in Nigeria (EU SPIN), will be carried out over four years in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
It is aimed at improving the performance of selected public health institutions through better coordination, faster information sharing and enhanced workforce capacity.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the programme as a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“This initiative is designed to strengthen our health institutions, and it is truly a welcome development. It will improve the well-being of Nigerians, especially our vulnerable populations,” he said, noting that it aligns with the federal government’s broader health reform agenda.
Nigeria continues to face a dual health burden, with recurring infectious disease outbreaks alongside a growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
According to the WHO, non-communicable diseases now account for 27 per cent of deaths in the country, while malaria alone contributes about 30 per cent of global malaria fatalities.
Recurrent outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever, meningitis and Mpox also remain a major public health concern.
The EU SPIN programme is expected to address systemic gaps that slow outbreak response by strengthening collaboration among public health institutions and clarifying roles across federal, state and local levels.
It will also support real-time data systems to enable quicker and more informed decision-making during health emergencies.
A key component of the initiative is workforce development, with plans to train up to 75 per cent of public health staff in leadership, prevention and response strategies, as well as digital skills.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Gautier Mignon, said the programme reflects a shared commitment to building resilient health systems.
“Through EU SPIN, the European Union is investing in strong, digitally enabled public health institutions in Nigeria. This partnership underscores our commitment to health security and sustainable systems strengthening,” he said.
Also speaking, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Mr Pavel Ursu, noted that improved coordination and digital tools would enhance the country’s ability to protect lives.
“By improving coordination, skills and digital tools, the project will help protect lives and keep communities healthier,” he said.
Officials said the programme would ultimately strengthen links between public health systems and primary healthcare services, ensuring that communities benefit from faster and more effective responses to health threats.
By 2028, the initiative is expected to deliver more efficient inter-agency coordination, clearer institutional responsibilities and more reliable public health data nationwide, with progress tracked through national monitoring systems and periodic reviews involving government and development partners.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
To achieve a malaria-free Nigeria, a leading Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) with a robust nationwide presence, SUNU Health Nigeria Limited, has called for a wider adoption of HMO packages for citizens.
It stressed that managed care provides a critical safety net, ensuring families can access quality preventive services without the burden of immediate, high costs, adding that this structured approach transforms healthcare from an unpredictable expense into a manageable, guaranteed service.
The company, which officially unveiled a comprehensive strategic roadmap aimed at drastically cutting down on malaria-related deaths, emphasised that the disease can be eradicated if citizens and stakeholders adopt consistent preventive measures.
“Eradication is within our reach if we synchronise our efforts,” the chief operating officer of SUNU Health, Dr Faith Nwachi, said, noting that the tools for victory range from environmental hygiene to the consistent use of treated nets, which are easily accessible to every Nigerian.
The organisation noted that it came up with the latest framework to significantly reduce the disease burden that has historically hindered Nigeria’s productivity and public health stability.
The urgency of this intervention is underscored by concerning data from late 2025, which revealed a sharp upward trend in cases, it stated.
With over 24.5 million confirmed cases reported in the first nine months of last year alone, the 2026 landscape demands aggressive action. Currently, malaria remains a leading cause of mortality, responsible for approximately 30 per cent of child deaths and 11 per cent of maternal deaths annually.
A central pillar of the roadmap is a focus on preventative care. As of early 2026, according to the World Health Organisation, malaria still accounts for nearly 30 per cent of all hospital admissions in Nigeria.
By addressing the root causes and transmission cycles, SUNU Health seeks to drastically lower these statistics, ensuring Nigerians can lead more active lives without the constant threat of infection.
Dr Nwachi further underscored the economic necessity of this shift, stating that “prevention is significantly cheaper than cure.”
The financial toll on the Nigerian economy is staggering, with billions of Naira lost annually to treatments and diminished man-hours. For the average family, frequent bouts of illness lead to catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses that undermine financial security.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Plans are underway by the Alternative Bank (AltBank) to present a policy brief to relevant government ministries, recommending vocational pathways, autism care financing options, and a 12-month Lagos pilot across selected schools and primary healthcare centres.
The recommendations are from the inaugural Autism Stakeholders Roundtable and Policy Dialogue in Lagos, organised by the lender in partnership with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), Eliakim Foundation, and Sterling One Foundation under the theme, It is How You Show Up.
The programme served as a critical platform to address the country’s fragmented autism support systems, with leading healthcare professionals, policymakers, and autism advocates in attendance, praising the financial institution’s decisive shift toward early intervention, systemic inclusion, and comprehensive capacity building for parents and caregivers.
The president of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Lagos State Branch, Dr Ime Okon, stressed her group’s alignment with the bank’s initiatives.
“We recognise caregivers and families as central to the success of any intervention. We are showing up, holding their hands, to ensure they are never left to navigate this journey alone.
“For a physician, showing up means ensuring that a parent’s first concern is met with a strengthened, inclusive system rather than a clinical dead-end with no solution. The Alternative Bank has signalled a shift toward a high-level platform for national action,” she stated.
Validating this urgent need for systemic early response, the keynote speaker and founder of the Patrick Speech and Languages Centre (PSLC), Mrs Dotun Akande, advocated the integration of universal developmental screening into primary healthcare, stressing that Nigeria must transition from relying on parallel private centres to building a coordinated national response.
“What Nigeria must now build is a system where intervention happens early, equitably, and at scale, without depending on chance, geography, or privilege,” Mrs Akande noted, outlining the necessity of a caregiver support scheme that addresses both the financial and social needs of families navigating autism.
Answering this call to action, the Executive Director of Commercial and Institutional Banking (Lagos and Southwest) at The Alternative Bank, Mrs Korede Demola-Adeniyi, unveiled the financial institution’s concrete commitments to parent and professional training.
Noting that showing up in Nigeria has “too often meant showing up late,” she announced a robust three-pillar intervention agenda focusing on inclusive education, targeted training for caregivers and health professionals, and behavioural change advocacy.
As an immediate first step, Mrs Demola-Adeniyi announced the launch of a specialised capacity-building programme on Receptive Language Disorder, executed in collaboration with Eliakim Global Resources, which commenced on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
“Early recognition and sustained support depend on a workforce and caregivers who know what to look for, and what to do next,” she explained, emphasising that receptive language is a consequential developmental marker that is frequently missed.
The roundtable fostered dynamic discussions on practically designing and sustainably funding high-impact support programmes.
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