Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus landed in the capital city of Kinshasa to personally oversee the emergency response to the highly infectious disease.

He is scheduled to travel on Friday to the eastern province of Ituri, which is currently the epicenter of the dangerous hemorrhagic fever outbreak.

Upon arrival, Dr. Tedros expressed solid support for the citizens trapped in the crisis zones.

“I came here to show that the communities in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu that they are not alone, and that we are here to support and we understand their pain,” he said.

He further emphasized unity in fighting the virus, promising that “together, we will overcome this outbreak” and promising to do “everything in my power to help you”.

Medical emergency efforts are facing severe roadblocks due to active fighting in the eastern regions of the DRC. Dr. Tedros made a direct appeal to armed groups, urging an immediate ceasefire so health workers can safely reach patients.

“Conflict and displacement make everything harder,” Dr. Tedros warned. “No cause, no conflict, no grievance is worth condemning innocent people to death from a preventable disease.”

Beyond the violence, a major shortage of money is stalling the medical mission.

The WHO chief called for immediate international funding, revealing that global donors have secured only about a third of the total financial support needed to control the virus.

The current crisis involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. Currently, no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists to cure it.

However, hope is on the horizon. The WHO announced on Thursday that its specialized advisory groups have recommended starting clinical trials for experimental vaccines and treatments on the ground.

Health authorities warn the virus continues to spread at a threatening speed, with cases and casualties rising drastically since the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.

The rapidly escalating crisis has already surged to more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases, causing 10 confirmed deaths and an additional 223 suspected fatalities.