Congos Ebola Outbreak Spreads to Frontline Healthcare Workers

Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo - The city of Bunia, capital of Ituri province, has implemented health checks upon arrival due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak. Mandatory screenings are in place at the airport, and billboards along the road to hotels display prevention messages.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May, after weeks of undetected transmission through mining towns, including Mongbwalu, Rwampara, and Bunia. The Bundibugyo strain is responsible for the outbreak, considered less deadly than some other strains but with no approved vaccine.

The Ebola treatment centre at Bunia General Hospital has reached capacity, with construction underway to add 86 more beds. John Katabuka, hospital director, notes that this strain presents differently from previous outbreaks, as symptoms only appear in the final stages of infection.

Residents, including Tresor, who wishes to remain anonymous, are waiting for test results after his wife recently tested positive for Ebola. He emphasizes the need for education and awareness about the virus.

The Congolese government is leading the response, with partners including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the United Nations. Diedonne Mwamba, head of the National Institute of Public Health, acknowledges that the outbreak is not only a health emergency but also a challenge in addressing displacement camps, where over 1.3 million people reside.

In Rwampara, a densely populated town about an hour’s drive from Bunia, local residents are cattle farmers supplying milk and meat to Bunia. The local health centre serves as an Ebola treatment facility run by the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA). Gabriel Tshiwisa reports that at least one person dies from Ebola every day.

However, fear, mistrust, and rumors have hindered efforts to contain the outbreak. Some residents do not believe the disease exists or claim it was brought by outsiders seeking to profit from the crisis. The Red Cross has been involved in safe burials for those who die from Ebola, as the body is highly infectious.

A team of Red Cross volunteers accompanied a burial team to inter a 60-year-old woman on the outskirts of Bunia, who died at home.

Source: Al Jazeera