Tanzania has donated 52 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies worth Sh220 million ($88,000) to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to support efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak.
The consignment was handed over in Kinshasa on Saturday by Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Florence George Samizi, on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The donation includes medicines, medical equipment, protective gear for healthcare workers and other essential supplies aimed at strengthening treatment services and helping health authorities break the chain of transmission.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Dr Samizi said the donation reflected Tanzania’s commitment to regional solidarity and collective action in responding to public health emergencies.
She said the support was also part of Tanzania’s commitment made during a virtual meeting of heads of state and government on the Ebola outbreak held on June 16, 2026.
“Health emergencies do not recognise borders, making cooperation among countries essential in strengthening preparedness and mounting an effective response,” Dr Samizi said.
She said Tanzania would continue working with the DRC and other regional and international partners to strengthen disease surveillance, preparedness and rapid response mechanisms.
The DRC welcomed the assistance, with Dr Romain Muboyayi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, thanking Tanzania for what he described as a demonstration of the strong friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
He said the supplies would bolster the DRC’s efforts to contain the outbreak while helping protect healthcare workers who are at the frontline of the response.
The donation comes as the DRC steps up measures to contain Ebola, including disease surveillance, infection prevention and control, patient management and community engagement.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease that can spread through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people. Healthcare workers face particular risks when adequate protective measures are not in place.
Dr Samizi reaffirmed Tanzania’s readiness to work with the DRC and other partners to strengthen Africa’s capacity to detect, prevent and respond rapidly to outbreaks and other health emergencies.
The latest assistance highlights the role of regional cooperation in tackling infectious diseases, particularly among neighbouring countries whose populations and economies are closely connected.