Berlin, 8 June 2026 – Several German organisations working in the fields of global health, development cooperation, and health equity – including the German Network against Neglected Tropical Diseases (DNTDs) – support a joint open letter to the Federal Chancellor. In this letter, the German government is called upon to place the current Ebola outbreak on the agenda of the upcoming G7 Summit and to advocate for a coordinated, internationally aligned, and adequately funded response.
For the German Network, the current outbreak also highlights the need to invest more strongly in surveillance, prevention, preparedness, and response capacities for future health emergencies. Rather than creating new structures, existing networks and professional expertise in endemic countries should be specifically strengthened. With additional financial support, existing national programmes for HIV and/or poverty-related and neglected tropical diseases (PRNTDs) can effectively expand their proven work to include the prevention and control of disease outbreaks.
With the G7 Leaders’ Summit taking place in Évian-les-Bains, France, from 15–17 June 2026 (in less than two weeks), we would also like to inform you that a letter has been sent to the French President, calling for a coordinated international response commensurate with the scale of the current Ebola outbreak.
The organisations warn of the further spread of the epidemic and emphasise the need for rapid international action to protect lives and strengthen health systems in the affected regions. In addition to the immediate crisis response, they call for increased investment in prevention, research, and the expansion of resilient health systems.
The aim of the appeal is to encourage the G7 countries to adopt a joint and consistent response to the crisis and to strengthen global health security in the long term.