WHO Chief Urges Reconsideration of Travel Bans Over Ebola Outbreak

(MENAFN) The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries to reconsider travel restrictions imposed in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Uganda, warning that such measures could hinder outbreak control efforts, according to reports.

Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and a key outbreak zone, that international cooperation and solidarity remain the most effective tools in responding to the epidemic.

He cautioned that border closures and travel suspensions could discourage transparency in reporting new cases and complicate containment efforts.

Several countries, including Canada and the United States, have reportedly imposed travel restrictions and visa limitations on individuals from affected regions, while Rwanda and Uganda have introduced tighter cross-border movement controls. Rwanda has also barred entry to foreign nationals who have traveled through Congo within the past month.

Tedros emphasized the importance of community involvement in managing the response to the Ebola strain circulating in the region, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment.

“We are not here to tell people what to do. We are here to listen,” he said. “Communities understand their own challenges and their own solutions. Our role is to support you in implementing those solutions, together,” he added, according to reports.

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