Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 July 2026
Correspondence from the Minister of State for International Development and Africa relating to the UK’s response to the recent outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo & Uganda, 13 July 2026
Summary
Baroness Chapman outlines the UK's response to the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The UK has allocated £26.9 million, with £21 million already disbursed to WHO, Red Cross organisations, and partners. The response combines direct funding, technical expertise from retained capabilities like UK-PHRST, research acceleration through CEPI and treatment trials, and health systems strengthening across the affected region.
Key findings
- UK has allocated up to £26.9 million for Ebola response in DRC and Uganda, with £21 million already disbursed to WHO (£12m), International Federation of Red Cross (£7m), and International Committee of the Red Cross (£2m)
- UK-PHRST has deployed up to 10 teams since 13 June across the region via the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, providing technical expertise to WHO, UNICEF, and national teams in DRC and South Sudan
- UK is co-funding the WHO-sponsored PARTNERS-BVD treatment trial in DRC with Wellcome, building on £160 million UK investment in CEPI for 2022-2027
- Minister visited DRC and Uganda twice to discuss outbreak response directly with President Tshiekedi and President Museveni, and co-hosted 29 June coordination meeting with Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation
- UK is shifting from direct service delivery towards locally set priorities in health systems strengthening, launching a Health Community of Expertise in April to offer targeted support identified by partner countries
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Sarah Champion MP, President Tshiekedi, President Museveni, Professor John Edmunds, Dr Jean Kaseya, Reem Alabali Radovan, World Health Organisation
Notable line
“The UK is supporting the Africa-led Ebola response in DRC and Uganda.”
Key Quotes
“The UK is supporting the Africa-led Ebola response in DRC and Uganda. We have allocated up to £26.9 million to support the response and accelerate research and development, including £21 million already disbursed for the DRC response”
“This funding is complemented by UK technical expertise, adapted programmes and diplomatic engagement. It is strengthening disease surveillance and rapid response, protecting frontline health workers, supporting case management and Ebola Treatment Centres”
“The UK's current approach draws on knowledge and expertise retained and embedded from the FCDO and DHSC response to the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak.”
“Since 13 June, UK-PHRST has supported Ebola preparedness and response activities across the region through up to 10 deployments via the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network”
“The current outbreak underlines the importance of prioritising UK ODA where it can have the greatest impact on global health. The UK remains a major donor and will continue to support a coordinated, effective Africa-led response”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗