The India–Africa Forum Summit planned for New Delhi next week has been postponed following rising concern over an Ebola outbreak in parts of central Africa.
In a joint statement, India and the African Union said the decision was taken due to what they described as an “emerging public health situation in the continent.” The meeting had been scheduled for 28–31 May and was expected to bring together leaders after a gap of more than ten years.
Officials said a new date would be announced later, without giving further details.
The move comes shortly after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The WHO says there have been hundreds of suspected cases and more than 100 suspected deaths, mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Health authorities and experts have raised concern over the nature of the outbreak, pointing to the challenges of controlling the virus in areas with limited access to healthcare and ongoing insecurity.
Ebola is a severe and often deadly disease spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. Early symptoms can resemble common illnesses such as malaria or flu, including fever, headache and fatigue, before potentially progressing to vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases bleeding.
Although no cases have been reported in India, health authorities have issued travel advisories for passengers arriving from or transiting through affected countries. Travellers have been advised to monitor their health for up to 21 days and seek medical attention if symptoms appear.
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