WHO convenes global experts to update filovirus disease treatment guidelines

CONGO—The World Health Organization has convened 50 clinicians, researchers, and public health specialists from around the world for a comprehensive five-day workshop aimed at updating clinical management guidelines for Filovirus Disease.

The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office supports this critical initiative as African nations continue facing regular FVD outbreaks.

Rising outbreak frequency

Africa shoulders the heaviest burden of FVD outbreaks, with cases occurring more frequently in recent years.

This year alone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda have reported outbreaks, underscoring the urgent need for improved preparedness.

Dr. Janet Diaz, Unit Head for Safe and Scalable Care at WHO Headquarters, emphasized the workshop’s purpose.

“Our collective experience has shown that optimized and standardized supportive care increases patient survival,” she explained.

Experts will share experiences, analyze data, and update WHO recommendations while developing a clinical toolkit for frontline workers and key performance indicators for policymakers.

Addressing critical care gaps

Experts are reviewing current care standards and assessing emerging clinical evidence to identify critical gaps in existing guidance.

They aim to reach consensus on updated, evidence-informed recommendations for patient management worldwide.

Discussions focus on optimizing fluid therapy, patient monitoring, and care for severe complications, including bleeding and renal failure.

The workshop also addresses specific needs of survivors and high-risk populations such as pregnant women and children.

Building research capacity

The workshop includes comprehensive training on Good Clinical Practice and WHO clinical trial procedures, strengthening the readiness of principal investigators and research teams to implement trials rapidly and ethically during outbreak situations.

These clinical trials remain essential for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of candidate vaccines and therapeutic interventions for filovirus diseases.

Dr. Marie-Roseline Darnycka Belizaire, Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, highlighted the critical stakes.

“Marburg and Ebola are among the most lethal pathogens we face and have significant social, economic, and psychological impacts on individuals and communities that have been affected,” she stated.

With no approved specific vaccines or treatments currently available for Marburg virus disease and Sudan virus disease, the quality and consistency of supportive care directly determine patient survival rates.

“Standardized, evidence-based care is not optional—it is lifesaving,” she emphasized.

Next Steps

The workshop will produce consolidated clinical management guidelines based on the best available evidence and field experience.

WHO will also develop a comprehensive supportive care toolkit for all resource settings.

The organization will disseminate the updated guidance to Member States and integrate it into preparedness planning, training, and simulation exercises while continuing to strengthen clinical capacity and advance research on filovirus therapeutics and vaccines.