The head of the World Health Organization has issued an emotional plea to people in the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak, promising to lead efforts to contain the virus from the front.

In an open letter published hours before he was set to arrive in Ituri, the region in the north-east of the Congo which accounts for 90 per cent of the 1,200 suspected Ebola cases recorded so far, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “I will not be managing this from a comfortable office far away, I will be there in person, doing everything in my power to help you.”

The long and highly personal message, which was published on X in both English and Lingala, a language spoken widely in Ituri, is aimed at countering rising mistrust with the authorities battling the outbreak.

“I am writing to you as someone who knows your region, who has walked your streets, and who cares deeply about what happens to you and your families,” he wrote in the letter.

In recent days, there have been numerous incidents of attacks on Ebola treatment centres by mobs seeking to recover victims’ bodies.

Last week, the health centre in Rwampara was stormed by a group of angry youths, and on Sunday, a treatment centre run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) was set on fire.

“I know that there is anger and mistrust in some communities, and I understand why,” wrote Dr Tedros, adding that he had visited the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 14 times between 2018-2020 in another outbreak of Ebola.

“We have not always done things correctly. But I promise you, we are here to learn as much as we are to help.”

The current outbreak involves a rare species of Ebola called Bundibugyo for which there are no vaccines or treatments.

As well as mistrust, the outbreak response has also been heavily complicated by conflict between warring militias in the area.

The WHO chief repeated his calls for warring militant groups to declare a ceasefire in light of the outbreak.

“I am making a direct appeal to all warring parties in this region: please, declare a ceasefire. Even briefly. Even just enough to let health workers through. People are dying from Ebola who do not have to die. Children are sick. Families are suffering.

“I urge you, I implore you: give us the space to help the people who need it most,” he wrote.

Dr Tedros also urged locals to seek care if they become unwell, and promised that authorities would “listen to you, share information with you, and we are here to help.

“And for those we cannot save, we will mourn with you. We will help you grieve your lost loved ones with safe and dignified burials,” he added.

Ebola victims remain highly infectious even in death, and unsafe burials – where family members touch, kiss, or wash the deceased – carry a significant transmission risk.

Johnny Luboya Nkashama, the military governor of Ituri, earlier this month banned the transportation of bodies on motorbikes as well as attendance of funeral wakes, which are known to be spreader events.

At least 246 people are now believed to have died in the outbreak, which is already the third largest ever recorded and had been spreading undetected for months.

Dr Tedros signed off the letter as “Paluku”, a word in the local Ituri dialect that means first-born son, which he said he was given on previous visits to the region.

“The people there, who saw me coming back again and again, wanted to give me a name that belonged to their community.

“I carry that name with pride. It is not just a name. It is a bond. It is a reminder that this work is not about titles or institutions. It is about people. It is about you,” he wrote.

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