AFC-M23 Hosts WHO Delegation Led by Dr. Anne Ancia in Goma for High-Level Ebola Response Talks.

On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Goma, the leadership of AFC-M23 received a high-level delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO), led by Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO Representative in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for strategic discussions on the evolving public health situation in eastern Congo.

The meeting focused on the current Ebola outbreak affecting parts of North Kivu and surrounding areas, where health authorities continue to report rising concern over transmission risks, surveillance gaps, and limited access to affected communities. According to WHO assessments, the outbreak has been classified as a serious public health emergency, with significant uncertainty about the full scale of infections due to ongoing instability and limited field access.

Dr. Anne Ancia and her team emphasized the urgency of strengthening coordination between WHO, local authorities, and field health structures to improve early detection, contact tracing, and rapid response capacity. Recent WHO engagements in eastern Congo have also included visits to treatment centers and laboratories in the Goma and Nyiragongo areas to assess testing capacity and response readiness on the ground.

During the discussions, both parties exchanged views on prevention strategies, community awareness, and the need for sustained logistical and medical support in order to contain the spread of the Ebola virus disease. The WHO delegation reiterated that effective response depends heavily on timely information sharing and community-level engagement, especially in areas affected by insecurity.

For AFC-M23 leadership, the meeting represents an important step in strengthening cooperation with international health institutions at a time when the region continues to face complex humanitarian and health challenges. The engagement also reflects growing efforts to align local response mechanisms with global health standards in order to protect vulnerable populations.

As the Ebola outbreak continues to develop in eastern Congo, such coordination efforts are seen as critical in improving preparedness, reducing transmission, and ensuring that affected communities receive timely medical attention and protection.