What the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda reveals about epidemic preparedness in West Africa

Résumé fourni par la source

The 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda has exposed critical vulnerabilities in epidemic preparedness despite substantial investments in health security following previous Ebola epidemics. Unlike outbreaks caused by the Zaire strain of Ebola virus, no licensed vaccines, approved therapeutics, or widely available rapid diagnostics currently exist for Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease. Consequently, affected countries have had to respond to an active outbreak while simultaneously generating evidence to guide control measures. In this perspective, we argue that while substantial global frameworks exist, including CEPI’s 100 Days Mission, WHO’s R&D Blueprint, and Africa CDC’s initiatives, the operationalization of research readiness systems at regional and national levels remains an area requiring continued investment. Drawing on experiences from West Africa following the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic, we hypothesize that the absence of pre-approved protocols, standing ethics mechanisms, clinical trial networks, and emergency financing arrangements may represent a more critical gap than the absence of medical countermeasures themselves. We wish to clarify that our argument is not that research is absent during outbreaks; indeed, significant research efforts have been mounted during the Bundibugyo outbreak, but rather that the speed with which research can be initiated is constrained by the absence of pre-positioned systems. We reflect on progress in surveillance, laboratory systems, and regional coordination while highlighting persistent weaknesses in regulatory harmonization, emergency financing, cross-border collaboration, and community engagement. We discuss how the Lassa Fever Coalition in West Africa and global initiatives such as CEPI’s 100 Days Mission provide useful frameworks for strengthening preparedness before crises occur. We contend that epidemic preparedness should be viewed not only as a technical exercise but also as a political, institutional, and social investment and that research readiness requires systematic attention as a core component of health security. Sustained commitment to research readiness, financing, and regional collaboration will be essential if West Africa is to respond effectively to future epidemic threats.

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