WHO Chief Rebuts Claims of Delayed Ebola Detection in the Democratic Republic of Congo

On Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s assertion that the agency was “little late” in identifying a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Tedros emphasized that WHO’s role is to support, not replace, national health efforts and suggested that misunderstandings of the International Health Regulations may underlie Rubio’s criticism.

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The May 2024 flare-up involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus and represents the 17th outbreak in the DRC over the past half-century. The previous episode concluded in December 2023. WHO traditionally leads global preparation, detection, and response to such crises by deploying emergency medical teams, issuing guidance, and managing vaccine stockpiles.

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• Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – Director-General, World Health Organization.

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• Marco Rubio – U.S. Secretary of State, critic of WHO’s response.

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• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Provides case counts and epidemiological updates.

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• U.S. administration – Withdrew from WHO in January 2024, citing alleged mishandling of COVID-19 and other health crises.

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• Hundreds of suspected Ebola cases have been reported in the DRC and neighboring Uganda.

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• The CDC records 134 suspected deaths linked to the outbreak.

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• An American health worker contracted the disease while in the DRC and was subsequently treated in Germany.

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Tedros clarified that WHO does not replace national health actions, stating the agency “only supports” countries. He attributed Rubio’s remarks to possible gaps in understanding how the International Health Regulations allocate responsibilities among global health actors. In a separate comment, WHO expressed that it “regrets” the U.S. president’s decision to withdraw the United States from the organization.

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Rubio alleged that WHO was “little late” in detecting the outbreak, implying a failure to act promptly. His comments reflect broader U.S. concerns about the agency’s effectiveness in emerging health emergencies.

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The core disagreement centers on whether WHO’s detection timeline was delayed or whether the criticism stems from a misinterpretation of the agency’s mandated functions. Tedros’ response frames the issue as a misunderstanding of legal responsibilities, while Rubio’s statement suggests operational shortcomings.

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• “We don’t replace the countries’ work, we only support them,” — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

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• “It could be from lack of understanding of how [the International Health Regulations] work and [the] responsibilities of WHO and other entities,” — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

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• “regrets” the president’s decision to depart. — WHO statement

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• “little late” — Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State

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Global health officials continue to monitor the outbreak, with the CDC and WHO coordinating surveillance, case management, and vaccine deployment. The situation underscores ongoing debates about international health governance and the United States’ future engagement with WHO.

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