South Africa has pledged $5 million (about R82 million) to support continental efforts to combat the deadly Ebola outbreak sweeping through the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, which has already claimed at least 200 lives.

President Cyril Ramaphosa (73) made the announcement on Monday at a High-Level Meeting of African Ministers of Health, doubling South Africa’s initial commitment of $2,5 million to the cause.

The pledge forms part of a $319 million continental preparedness and response plan covering the period from June to November 2026, designed to support outbreak control in affected countries whilst strengthening preparedness in at least 10 high-risk member states.

Speaking in his capacity as African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, Ramaphosa said the contribution demonstrates African solidarity and ownership of the crisis response.

“Africa is no longer waiting passively for others to act. In this spirit of African solidarity and African solutions to African challenges, the Government and people of South Africa are pleased to announce an initial contribution of $5 million to Africa CDC [Centres for Disease Control and Prevention], in support of the ongoing continental Ebola response,” he said.

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The outbreak, which the World Health Organisation has declared a public health emergency of international concern, represents Africa’s second-largest Ebola outbreak in history and the largest since the West African epidemic more than a decade ago.

African countries have already committed initial domestic contributions representing approximately 10% of the required financing for the continental response plan, according to the president.

The current outbreak presents particular challenges as there are no therapeutics or vaccines available for the Bundibugyo strain at the onset. However, organisations including the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and UNITAID are working with Africa CDC and WHO on promising vaccine and therapeutic candidates for clinical trials.

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Ramaphosa called on partners and manufacturers to accelerate research and development, strengthen genomic surveillance, expand laboratory systems and fast-track the equitable delivery of safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics.

He urged the international community to support Africa “in the spirit of partnership, solidarity and respect”, warning that delayed support would result in much higher human, social and economic costs.

“The world is safer when Africa is safer,” the president said.

Ramaphosa emphasised that the outbreak serves as a reminder that preparedness cannot begin when a crisis is already expanding, calling for continued investment in resilient health systems, strong national public health institutes, emergency operations centres, local manufacturing of medical countermeasures, community health workers and genomic surveillance.

“The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and all countries at risk must know that they are not alone. Africa stands with them,” he concluded.

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