U.S. Scrambles for Ebola Czar as 750 Congo-Uganda Cases Expose Coordination Gaps
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 23
U.S. Scrambles for Ebola Czar as 750 Congo-Uganda Cases Expose Coordination Gaps
10 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 23
No formal interagency structure is in place for the U.S. Ebola response, according to people familiar with the effort, even as the White House searches for a czar to lead it.
Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 deaths in Congo have turned the outbreak into a major test of U.S. preparedness, with experts warning the Bundibugyo strain is harder to contain because it lacks an approved vaccine or treatment.
Signs of disarray have already surfaced: Uganda said it was not consulted after the State Department announced plans to help establish 50 treatment clinics there and in Congo.
The administration says it moved within 24 hours—deploying aid, tightening screening and routing flights through Dulles—but former officials say only strong White House coordination can cut through agency bottlenecks.
The strain comes after the administration dismantled USAID and the NSC health-security office, leaving fewer people and systems than in the 2014 Ebola response that drove a whole-of-government playbook.
Is the new US global health strategy worsening the Ebola outbreak it was meant to prevent?
With a key US aid agency gone, who is actually getting supplies to Ebola's front lines?
We have AI to predict pandemics, so why is the current Ebola response failing on the ground?
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak 2026: High Fatality, Diagnostic Shortfalls, and Urgent Global Action Needed
Overview
The 2026 Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, is rapidly escalating and poses a major public health threat. High positivity rates and a rising number of suspected cases suggest the outbreak is much larger than currently known. This situation demands strong international coordination, as containment is challenged by insecurity, displacement, and limited healthcare access in affected regions. Although Uganda has not yet seen local transmission, the overall response is hindered by these obstacles. Understanding the true scale of the outbreak and overcoming these hurdles are crucial for effective control and prevention.