Singapore pledges nearly $2.6m to support Ebola response in Congo and Uganda

Singapore will contribute US$2 million (S$2.58 million) to support the ongoing Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) outbreak response in Congo and Uganda, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) announced in a news release on Tuesday (July 14).

The contribution will be made through the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO), in support of the joint Continental Preparedness and Response Plan launched on June 5, 2026, the agencies said.

Singapore's contribution will go towards the procurement of vital supplies to support laboratory testing and contact tracing, infection prevention and control, as well as case management on the ground.

In a statement, Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung said that global health security is a shared responsibility.

He also reiterated Singapore's position as a reliable partner in times of need.

"The BVD outbreak in the DRC and Uganda is a rapidly evolving situation that demands a swift and coordinated international response." 

"We have prioritised our contribution to getting the right supplies to the right places quickly, and supporting the healthcare workers on the frontlines," Ong said.

MOH and CDA said that the latest contribution is part of Singapore's broader, sustained commitment to global public health, and builds on its established partnership with Africa CDC and the WHO.

In May, the health minister announced at the 79th World Health Assembly that Singapore would contribute US$12 million over four years to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

In 2024, Singapore contributed S$24 million to the WHO's inaugural round of investment, aimed at improving protection in the face of health emergencies.

That same year, Singapore also provided mpox diagnostic kits and testing supplies, enabling up to 50,000 tests to support Africa CDC's response to the disease.

Situation in Congo

On July 9, the Congolese health ministry announced that the death toll in the country's latest Ebola outbreak had reached 600.

Authorities say suspected cases had been recorded in the provinces of Tshopo and Haut-Uele, signalling the continued spread of the disease beyond the epicentre in Ituri.

Africa CDC said on the same day that the latest outbreak was the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on the continent.

The Congolese authorities declared a fresh Ebola outbreak on May 15, after the disease had been spreading for weeks without official detection, according to the WHO. 

Two days later, on May 17, the BVD outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO.

The latest outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment.

Clinical trials of potential treatments began on July 2, after researchers launched a highly anticipated study in the hope of fighting the virus.

Efforts to contain the virus have also been hampered by a funding gap, attacks on health centres and ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, the epicentre of the outbreak.

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