A humanitarian convoy carrying Irish-donated ambulances to Uganda has drawn a midlands garda sergeant into a mission aimed at easing suffering for some of east Africa’s most vulnerable patients. Organised by Hope on Wheels, the effort has brought together more than 20 volunteers to drive 11 ambulances 1,200km from Mombasa in Kenya to Kampala in Uganda. Among them is Sergeant Paul McNally, a Co Offaly native who has been based in Athlone since 2018. "When I heard about this opportunity I didn't hesitate," he said. "Thousands…

In a significant development against a rare Ebola strain, five patients have successfully recovered, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Sunday while visiting Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. "Today, four individuals will be released, following another who was discharged just two days ago," Ghebreyesus remarked during the inauguration of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. Ghebreyesus emphasized the ongoing work…

Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is bracing for what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls a "catastrophic collision of disease and conflict," as a rapidly advancing Ebola outbreak outstrips efforts to contain it in a region already scarred by armed groups, displacement and severe hunger. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak in Ituri province is unfolding in conditions that undermine basic public health measures, with insecurity, assaults on clinics and…

Uganda has shut its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo as officials race to contain an Ebola outbreak attributed to the Bundibugyo strain, a move that has triggered stepped-up regional surveillance and emergency health measures. The closure, effective "with immediate effect," was ordered by the national Ebola task force chaired by Vice President Jesca Alupo after a rise in infections among Ugandan health workers who had treated patients from DR Congo. All authorised entrants will be screened, and travellers from…

The World Health Organization is sounding the alarm over a rapidly deteriorating Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, warning that relentless violence and a deepening humanitarian emergency are undermining efforts to contain the virus. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the epicenter lies in Ituri Province, a conflict-hit area where nearly five million people live amid persistent insecurity and a severe humanitarian crisis. Ongoing attacks are forcing civilians to flee alongside health…

The World Health Organization has issued a stark warning that the Ebola outbreak poses a significant risk at both national and regional levels in Congo and Uganda. However, the global threat remains low. Amidst growing concerns, the leader of the WHO team in Congo has cautioned that the outbreak, which has resulted in over 130 suspected deaths, could extend for at least two more months as efforts to control the situation intensify. The WHO has characterized the Ebola outbreak as a public health emergency of…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State has moved to calm fears while urging caution, issuing a public health alert after the World Health Organization reported an uptick in Ebola cases in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a statement on Wednesday, the health ministry asked residents to stay alert and follow preventive steps to limit the chance of infection, stressing that no Ebola cases have been reported in Puntland State or anywhere else in Somalia. Officials described Ebola as a dangerous and fast-spreading viral…

Health officials are racing to contain a new Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo strain, with the World Health Organization saying the flare-up does not qualify as a pandemic emergency even as it warns that countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo face a high risk of further spread. Earlier, the WHO said the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda amounted to a public health emergency of international concern. So what is known so far about the latest Ebola outbreak and the way it has…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a "public health emergency of international concern," highlighting the potential threat to neighboring regions. Although this outbreak has not escalated to a pandemic level, countries bordering the DRC are alerted to a heightened risk of the virus spreading. According to the WHO, as of Saturday, the Ituri province in the DRC reported 80 suspected deaths, eight confirmed laboratory cases, and 246…

Thursday April 30, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Uganda has sent a fresh batch of soldiers to Somalia, with the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) announcing the deployment of a new contingent under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, or AUSSOM, as regional efforts to shore up security continue. Battle Group XLVII (BG 47) was officially dispatched on Tuesday after completing pre-deployment training at the International Peace Support Operations Training Centre in Singo, Nakaseke District. Speaking at…