President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa will contribute an initial $5 million to the continental response to the growing Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Central and East Africa.

Speaking at a high-level meeting of African health ministers on Monday, Ramaphosa warned that the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda poses a serious regional threat due to porous borders, active trade routes and ongoing humanitarian pressures.

He praised frontline healthcare workers for continuing to battle dangerous outbreaks despite difficult conditions, and called for stronger protection and support for medical staff.

Ramaphosa also commended the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for coordinating Africa’s response together with the World Health Organisation.

More than 200 people have already died in what Africa CDC describes as the second-largest Ebola outbreak since the 2014 West Africa epidemic.

There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, but organisations including GAVI, CEPI and UNITAID are working to fast-track vaccine and treatment trials.

Ramaphosa said African countries have already pledged around 10% of the estimated $319 million needed for the June-to-November 2026 response plan, showing that the continent is taking responsibility for its own health security.

He called on African governments, businesses and international partners to urgently support efforts to contain the outbreak and strengthen Africa’s health systems.

My thanks to @Dr_JeanKaseya and Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar for convening today’s meeting of African Health leaders. We are facing an extremely serious and complex #Ebola outbreak in the #DRC. It will likely get worse before it gets better. What makes this response… pic.twitter.com/ypLunDBTic

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 25, 2026