The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has renewed the case for pharmaceutical sovereignty in Africa. The country reported 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths up until 3 November, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The centre says the DRC is still reconciling its case and death counts.
Frontline teams need reliable supplies of gloves, masks, protective gowns and disinfectants to limit transmission in health facilities. Rapid diagnostics are equally important. They help teams identify cases, isolate patients and trace contacts before the virus spreads further. When health workers fall ill, facilities also lose staff needed to maintain routine care.