The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Ghebreyesus, warned Saturday that the world remains dangerously vulnerable to rapidly spreading infectious diseases, as Ugandan authorities confirmed three new cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola - a virus with no known cure or vaccine.
The new cases include a Ugandan health worker, a driver, and a Congolese national who crossed from Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This brings the total confirmed cases in Uganda to five.
Speaking at the close of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Tedros called for urgent cross-border collaboration, stronger surveillance systems, and sustained financial commitments to ensure WHO can respond to future global health emergencies. He noted that global risk remains low, but the national risk in the DRC has been raised to "very high."
During the week-long assembly, member states adopted resolutions on tuberculosis, emergency care, precision medicine, and pandemic preparedness. Leaders also agreed to reform global health architecture through a WHO-led process.
“Every nation is healthier and safer when all nations are healthier and safer,” Tedros said.