At the centre of the Ebola epidemic in Congo – crisis and hope

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), a French aid organization, has inaugurated a new Ebola treatment center in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The challenges of controlling this outbreak, which is the second deadliest ever, persist despite containment efforts. The treatment facility is located in Beni, North Kivu province, where 122 confirmed cases and 87 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began in mid-May.

North Kivu has the highest case fatality rate among Congo's six affected provinces, standing at 68%. Aid workers have highlighted the shortage of bed capacity as a critical factor impeding the response to the outbreak, which is Congo's 17th. Dr. Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa CDC, recently stated that up to 2,000 additional beds are needed to effectively manage the situation.

Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine or treatment available for this Bundibugyo outbreak, leading relief workers to rely on traditional methods like contact tracing and patient isolation to attempt to curb its spread. According to MSF emergency coordinator Albert Stern, "Early diagnosis and treatment as soon as the first symptoms appear significantly increase people's chances of survival, whilst reducing the risk of transmission within families and communities."

MSF currently has 1,400 staff members in Congo supporting the response and operates treatment centers equipped with a total of 400 beds.