Africa’s Non-Communicable Diseases Burden Continues to Rise, Latest Study Finds
A 2026 Lancet Global Health analysis using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 data finds that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are accounting for a growing share of Africa’s health burden. In 2023, NCDs resulted in an estimated 263 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), with one DALY representing one year of healthy life lost. NCDs caused an […]
When Ebola strikes, HIV care cannot stop
As the Democratic Republic of the Congo responds to the Ebola outbreak in Ituri, there are growing concerns about people living with HIV missing their regular care and treatment. Fear of Ebola, insecurity and pressure on health services are making it harder for some patients to reach health facilities. For people living with HIV, missing […]
Emergency Funding Alone is Insufficient to End Bundibugyo virus
As the September 2026 UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response approaches the global health architecture is under spotlight. Currently characterized by fragmentation, duplication, misaligned priorities, competition, gaps in financing, and persistent power imbalances, it is hoped a reform on the architecture will help effectively respond to outbreaks in the world. The ongoing […]
100 Days into Ebola: The World Moved Fast, But Gaps in Preparedness Remain
25 August 2026 One hundred days into the Bundibugyo Ebola virus (BDBV) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the response has demonstrated how much can be achieved when preparedness, science and international collaboration come together. In a new opinion published by the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat (IPPS), Dr Mona Nemer, Chair of […]
Community Engagement Should be Prioritised in Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak Fight
One month after the declaration of the 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak as both a global and continental public health emergency, transmission continues to expand in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda despite substantial response efforts. As of 14 June 2026, there were 827 confirmed cases and 194 deaths, with Ituri Province in DRC […]
Inspiring, shaping and sustaining an African research and development agenda
Africa’s repeated exclusion from timely access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments during major health emergencies—including the COVID-19 pandemic and recent mpox, Marburg virus disease and Ebola outbreaks—has demonstrated the urgent need for the continent to build its own end-to-end research and development (R&D) capacity. Reliance on external suppliers and international research partnerships has left Africa […]
Lessons learned from 2022-2025 outbreaks with cross border spread potential
Evidence from recent African outbreaks of mpox, cholera, Ebola virus disease, and Marburg virus disease shows that successful outbreak responses rely on continuous investments in preparedness rather than reactive measures. A narrative synthesis of scientific articles and reports from 2022-2025 on outbreaks by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention researchers say, key elements include […]
Bundibugyo Ebola without vaccines or therapeutics: why public health fundamentals matter more than border closures
The ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda highlights a major gap in global epidemic preparedness. There are currently no licensed vaccines or treatments for this Ebola strain exposing long-standing inequalities in global health research, particularly for diseases affecting low-income countries often receive insufficient funding […]
2026 Ebola Disease Outbreak Triggers Unified Response Among Partners
The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, is a major public health emergency in Africa. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the outbreak major public health emergencies to mobilize coordinated action. […]
New Africa CDC–Global Fund Partnership to Strengthen Africa’s Health Systems
GENEVA, 19 May 2026 – A new partnership between the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) aims to strengthen Africa’s health systems, expand regional leadership and support the continent’s path toward greater self-reliance. The two institutions signed a Memorandum of […]