CCOUC and MSF Hong Kong Convene Public Forum on Ebola and Humanitarian Response

On 13 August 2026, the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Hong Kong, organised a public forum titled “Ebola Disease: A Global Humanitarian System in Crisis”. The forum brought together humanitarian leaders, medical professionals and participants to discuss the challenges of responding to Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the broader implications for global humanitarian response.

The forum featured Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, International President of MSF; Ms Kate White, MSF Emergency Medical Coordinator, who had recently returned from Ituri in the DRC; and Professor Emily Ying-yang Chan, Director of CCOUC, Kuok Group Professor in Global Public Health and Humanitarian Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), and Chief Executive Officer of GX Foundation. Drawing on their respective frontline experiences and expertise, the speakers shared perspectives on epidemic response, humanitarian operations and the challenges facing international health emergencies.

Moderated by Caroline Dubois, the forum provided opportunities for discussion and exchange among both in-person and online participants. The dialogue highlighted the complexities of coordinating medical humanitarian responses in crisis-affected settings and the importance of collaboration across public health institutions, humanitarian organisations and other sectors.

The event underscored the need for interdisciplinary cooperation, sustained humanitarian commitment and effective coordination in responding to infectious disease emergencies. As part of CCOUC’s 15th anniversary programme, the forum reflected the Centre’s ongoing commitment to connecting academic research, frontline humanitarian practice and international collaboration to strengthen global health emergency preparedness and response.