{"disclaimer":"Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.","url":"https://transcripts.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16zc1mwm5","llms":{"note":"Plain-text sibling of this page, compact for LLM context. For the full API guide (search, listing, URL grammar) see /llms.txt.","textUrl":"/en/asset/k16/k16zc1mwm5.txt","guide":"/llms.txt"},"video":{"id":"k16/k16zc1mwm5","kaltura_id":"1_6zc1mwm5","title":"António Guterres (UN Secretary-General) on Ebola outbreak - Security Council Media Stakeout","clean_title":"António Guterres (UN Secretary-General) on Ebola outbreak - Security Council Media Stakeout","url":"https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16zc1mwm5","date":"2026-08-27T00:00:00.000Z","scheduled_time":"2026-08-27T13:45:00.000Z","status":"finished","duration":"00:08:52","category":"Media Stakeouts","body":null,"event_code":null,"event_type":null,"session_number":null,"pv_symbol":null,"pv_part":null,"slug":"asset/k16/k16zc1mwm5"},"metadata":{"summary":"Press encounter by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Ebola outbreak.","description":"Let me begin with a word about the horrifying flooding in Nepal and China. I extend my deepest condolences to families of the victims and express my solidarity with all those affected. The United Nations is mobilizing supplies and humanitarian teams and we pledge to support national efforts to deliver emergency aid and support.\nI want to provide an update on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with an urgent appeal to step up action to get it under control.\n\nMy main message is this: The outbreak is the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record. It is growing faster and wider than the response to contain it. But it can be stopped.\n\nWe know how to contain Ebola – how to interrupt transmission – and how to save lives.\n\nBut we must also overcome another virus – the virus of indifference.\n\nBecause international attention, political focus and resources are still lagging behind the reality unfolding on the ground.\n\nThe Ebola crisis is first and foremost a human tragedy affecting families and communities on an extraordinary scale.\n\nIt is now the largest Ebola outbreak in the history of the DRC.\n\nAs of August 25th, 5,713 cases have been confirmed, claiming 2,744 lives.\n\nAnd with about 500 new cases being reported every week, the outbreak continues to expand across a vast area – with women and children being hit especially hard.\n\nThe challenge is immense.\n\nWe are facing a public health emergency in one of the world's most fragile settings.\n\nFor example, three decades of conflict in Ituri province alone have displaced one million people and severely weakened access to food, healthcare and other basic services.\n\nAcross the region, more than 12 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection.\n\nMeanwhile, health systems are overstretched. Infrastructure is weak. Entire communities remain difficult to reach.\n\nFrontline workers are also operating under perilous conditions.\n\nMore than 40 health workers have lost their lives in the effort to save others.\n\nHealth workers have been infected. Treatment centres and ambulances have been attacked.\n\nHumanitarian personnel face both the threat of the virus and the threat of violence.\n\nThey deserve our recognition and support.\n\nThe Government of the DRC is heading up the response – with the United Nations, led by the World Health Organization, and partners teaming up to assist.\n\nWe have appointed a UN Senior Ebola Coordinator – and are aligning behind 5 priorities.\n\nFirst, community engagement is being expanded to build trust and counter fear and misinformation.\n\nSecond, surveillance systems are being strengthened to identify and isolate cases more rapidly.\n\nThird, treatment and care capacity are being increased.\n\nFourth, safe and dignified burial operations are being expanded.\n\nAnd, fifth, we are working to stop Ebola from spreading further.\n\nThe Congo River and busy routes across the region connect millions of people and communities.\n\nAnd so we are reinforcing preparedness and coordination with South Sudan and the Central African Republic.\n\nAfrica CDC is also playing a critical role, mobilizing expertise and solidarity from across the region.\n\nTogether with many dedicated partners, these efforts are helping to build an integrated response on the ground.\n\nBut let's be clear:\n\nEvery gap in funding and operational support makes the Ebola response more challenging.\n\nWe are doing everything possible to invest in that response – including through more than $80 million from UN pooled funds and support from partners.\n\nWe have put forward a detailed $2.13 billion humanitarian needs and response plan.\n\nThis is 48% funded – thanks in large measure to a major contribution by the United States.\n\nBut current resources will last weeks – not months.\n\nWithout additional funding, vital operations will run out of money just when they need to expand.\n\nThat is why I am appealing for the remaining $1.1 billion to fully fund the humanitarian response plan, recognizing that even more will be needed in the future.\n\nThe world still has an opportunity to get ahead of this crisis.\n\nBut time is not on our side.\n\nThe Ebola outbreak deserves far greater attention than it is receiving today.\n\nThe communities affected deserve far greater assistance.\n\nAnd the response deserves far greater support.\n\nThe world has the knowledge, the means, and the resources to stop this outbreak.\n\nIt is time to summon the collective determination to act before the cost becomes more deadly, more difficult, and more expensive.\n\nThank you.","categories":["Media","Media Stakeouts"],"geographic_subject":[],"subject_topical":["HEALTH","EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE"],"corporate_name":[],"speaker_affiliation":["SECRETARIAT"],"related_documents":[]},"transcript":null,"message":"No transcript available"}