Medical personnel carry out disinfection to prevent Ebola infection in Mongbwalu, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 24, 2026. Photo: THX/VNA
On the social media platform X, Tedros stated that Ituri province – the epicenter of the outbreak – currently has nearly 5 million people living amidst ongoing conflict, with approximately 25% of the population requiring humanitarian assistance and 20% internally displaced. He emphasized that the violence is forcing people, including healthcare workers and humanitarian aid personnel, to leave their homes, severely hindering efforts to control the epidemic. This significantly impairs the ability to expand contact tracing for the Ebola virus and detect cases early enough to provide supportive care.
According to the WHO head, the prolonged insecurity and fear are also increasing distrust within the community. This is one of the biggest obstacles to the fight against the epidemic. He said that the WHO and its humanitarian health partners maintain a presence throughout Ituri province, including in the most remote and dangerous areas, where people face not only Ebola but also many other diseases.
The WHO Director-General emphasized that providing a comprehensive healthcare package is key, not only to meeting urgent health needs but also to building trust within the community. This is considered the foundation for an effective Ebola response strategy.
On the same day, the Ministry of Communications of the Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed that as of May 24, the country had recorded 904 suspected cases and 119 deaths suspected to be due to Ebola, mainly in Ituri. The disease had also appeared in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, and had spread to Uganda.
Violence from armed rebel groups, displacement of civilians, weak local authorities, and cuts in international aid are overwhelming the healthcare system in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. For years, eastern Congo has suffered continuous attacks from dozens of different armed groups, including those linked to foreign countries or the extremist organization Islamic State (IS). The M23 rebel group currently controls many areas in eastern Congo. In particular, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorist group is considered one of the most dangerous insurgent groups in the region, frequently carrying out attacks against civilians.
Although the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo maintains control over much of Ituri province, the security situation there is extremely fragile. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) previously warned that the security situation in Ituri was rapidly deteriorating, forcing many doctors and nurses to leave their posts, leaving health facilities overwhelmed and in a “catastrophic state”.
According to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA), nearly 1 million people have been displaced by conflict in Ituri. This makes the Ebola outbreak particularly dangerous, given that communities already face insecurity, precarious living conditions, and fragile healthcare systems. Experts fear the Ebola virus could spread to crowded refugee camps around the city of Bunia – where the first cases were reported.
Health experts believe that cuts in international aid from the US and many wealthy nations last year severely weakened the Democratic Republic of Congo's capacity to respond to the pandemic. Aid organizations on the ground report severe shortages of protective equipment, testing kits, body bags, and other essential medical supplies.
In addition to a shortage of resources, medical and aid workers also face suspicion and fierce resistance from a segment of the local population. The arson attacks on treatment centers in Rwampara and Mongbwalu in Ituri province – areas with the highest number of Ebola cases – demonstrate the severe erosion of public trust in the government and the fight against the epidemic, making the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo more difficult than ever.
According to VNA
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/dich-ebola-chdc-congo-truc-cuoc-khung-hoang-kep-a486677.html
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