Angola Steps Up Preparedness as Ebola Outbreak Declared in Neighbouring DRC
Angola has intensified its Ebola preparedness and prevention measures following the declaration of an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with particular focus on Lunda Norte province, which borders the DRC.
A multidisciplinary team comprising experts from the Ministry of Health’s National Directorate of Public Health, the National Institute for Health Research, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF visited the Tchissanda, Fortuna and Nachire border posts in Lunda Norte. The mission aimed to support local health authorities in implementing preparedness measures and to raise awareness among communities about Ebola symptoms, early reporting and protective practices.
Training sessions covered Ebola identification, infection prevention and control, active case finding, disease surveillance at community and entry-point levels, sample collection and safe transportation, and risk communication strategies to counter misinformation. A total of 140 officials – including health professionals, police officers, border authorities and community mobilisers – took part.
Dr Eusébio Manuel, Head of the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiological Surveillance at Angola’s Ministry of Health, stressed: “The Ministry of Health’s priority is to guarantee early detection, appropriate case management, and above all, the protection of both our communities and the health workers on the frontline. We are firmly committed to strengthening Angola’s preparedness against Ebola.”
Beyond frontline workers, more than 150 traditional and religious leaders, midwives, hunters and healers across five municipalities of Lunda Norte were also engaged in preparedness activities. These efforts sought to build trust, ensure cultural alignment and integrate community voices into municipal outbreak action plans.
Dr Noémia Silva, WHO Surveillance and Immunisation Officer in Lunda Norte, underlined the importance of early readiness: “Preparing now means saving lives later. Every trained official and every informed community increases Angola’s capacity to respond effectively if the virus crosses the border.”
According to WHO, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC poses a high public health risk nationally, a moderate risk regionally, and a low risk globally. The organisation is working with national authorities in ten neighbouring countries, including Angola, to strengthen readiness assessments and contingency planning.
