African nations must increase their financial contributions to combatting and developing responses to outbreaks like the current Ebola epidemic in Congo and Uganda, according to the Director-General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Dr. Jean Kaseya stated Friday that the continent cannot perpetually rely on foreign aid for its health security.
The ongoing outbreak, which began on May 15, has resulted in over 200 fatalities from 894 confirmed cases, with an estimated 35,000 contacts identified. Kaseya noted that the actual number of cases is likely higher due to a delay in confirming the outbreak. He described the current situation as the most severe at this stage of an epidemic, emphasizing it as a critical reminder for Africa to bolster its health sector investments.
"If this outbreak was in Europe, the United States or other continents, they would already have developed a vaccine and medicine," Kaseya said during an interview in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. "We don’t want to be a continent begging every day. We want to be a continent of people who know what they are doing and who are respected because they are doing the right thing."
Response efforts have been hampered by the absence of approved vaccines or treatments for the specific Bundibugyo virus strain affecting the region. While a vaccine exists for the more common Zaire virus, which has been responsible for most of Congo's previous Ebola outbreaks, it is not being utilized in the current situation.
In the epicenter of the outbreak in Congo's eastern Ituri province, health workers face significant challenges, including attacks from local residents and widespread skepticism, as burials have become a common occurrence. The ongoing health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have spurred initiatives to enhance local vaccine manufacturing capabilities in Africa, though progress has been limited.
Africa, projected to have a population of 2.5 billion by 2050, currently produces less than 1% of its vaccine requirements and a mere 3% of its medicine needs. This reliance on external sources leaves millions vulnerable during epidemics.
Kaseya expressed uncertainty about the availability of a vaccine by the end of the year, despite ongoing efforts to accelerate development. He warned that the peak of the Ebola outbreak has yet to be reached, attributing this to slow progress in identifying and monitoring individuals who have come into contact with infected persons. More than 35,000 contacts still need to be traced.
"This is why we are accelerating our fundraising to put on the ground so many teams to look for any contact, direct or indirect, and to start following them," Kaseya explained.
To encourage financial support from African states, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to visit the Ituri Province in Congo and Uganda next week to assist in mobilizing funds. The newly established African Epidemic Fund has garnered pledges totaling approximately $80 million from African governments. A broader donor conference held recently secured pledges of about $910 million.
"We need to take care of ourselves," Kaseya urged. "We need to say, ‘It’s time for us to really think strongly about how we can manufacture medicines and vaccines to meet our own needs."