Dar es Salaam:  The World Health Organization (WHO) has received £200,000 in funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) to support efforts in fighting the ongoing Marburg outbreak in Tanzania. This collaboration will significantly enhance the continuing response to the outbreak in the Kagera region and strengthen preparedness efforts across 13 other high-risk regions in the country.

Since President H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan officially declared the outbreak in Biharamulo District in January 2025, WHO has been working tirelessly to provide both technical and operational support. This includes a $3 million investment in the response effort, deploying a national rapid response team, enhancing outbreak investigation measures, and providing essential personal protective equipment (PPE) and guidelines for the local health teams.

The additional funding will support WHO’s ongoing efforts to assist Tanzania in managing the outbreak and will contribute to the implementation of the country’s National Marburg Response Plan 2025 which aims to curb the virus in the country.

“WHO has been on the grounds with partners ensuring Marburg is curtailed in the earliest possible time. We express our sincere gratitude to FCDO for the continued support and collaboration, both in the past Marburg outbreak in 2023 and this current funding addition. This funding will not only aid the immediate response but will also help strengthen health systems in the region to prevent future outbreaks.” said Dr. Charles Sagoe Moses, WHO Country Representative in Tanzania.

The Marburg virus, a severe viral hemorrhagic fever, is closely related to the Ebola virus. It is primarily transmitted through fruit bats and spreads via contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, and severe bleeding, and the disease is often fatal. There are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments for Marburg.