NEW DELHI, May 24 (ANI) — India on Sunday dispatched the first tranche of medical supplies and protective kits to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in response to the emerging Ebola public health emergency.
Highlighting India’s support to African nations during the crisis, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in a post on X, “India dispatched the first tranche of urgent medical supplies and protective kits to Africa CDC today. Committed to support Africa in responding to the emerging Ebola public health emergency.”
Following reported Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the World Health Organization (WHO), under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 framework, on May 17 declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
According to a press release issued by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has also officially declared the ongoing outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease affecting the DRC and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).
The WHO IHR Emergency Committee on May 22 issued temporary recommendations aimed at strengthening disease surveillance at points of entry to “detect, assess, report and manage travelers with unexplained febrile illness arriving from areas with documented Bundibugyo virus detection.”
The WHO also advised against non-essential travel to regions where the Bundibugyo virus has been detected.
According to the ministry’s statement, countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, including South Sudan, are considered to be at high risk of disease transmission.
Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by infection with the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. It is a severe disease with a high mortality rate.
At present, no vaccines or specific treatments have been approved for preventing or treating Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo strain.
In view of the evolving situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other affected countries, and in line with WHO recommendations, the Government of India has advised Indian citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan until further notice. (ANI)
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