Back to school in Congo’s Beni brings new Ebola fears

La Reine Vahwere, a mother in Beni, Congo, sent her children back to school on September 1 with strict instructions to wash their hands, avoid physical contact with classmates, and use disinfectant to protect against Ebola. Upon entering the school, staff members stood ready with disinfectant for the returning pupils to cleanse their hands before entering their classrooms.

The resumption of schooling in Beni coincides with the largest Ebola outbreak on record in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has resulted in over 6,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,000 deaths as of September 2. Beni, situated in the North Kivu province, one of six provinces impacted by the outbreak, has been warned that the concentration of children in schools could provide additional opportunities for transmission.

Vahwere expressed her and her children's concern over the potential risk of infection. School director Kasereka Malikidogo Justin revealed that while the school had not had much experience with managing sick children, they had prepared an infirmary in anticipation of the current crisis. "We did not know how to manage them, we did not know how to treat them, since we are not doctors, we are not nurses," he lamented.

Desire Buyana, president of the country’s Risk Communication and Community Engagement programme, emphasized the significance of children in the Ebola response, noting that a large number of them are returning to schools and universities. School leaders and teachers have been pushing for vaccination, hoping it will help mobilize parents and communities should a vaccine become available.

For now, Beni's schools are relying on hygiene measures such as handwashing, disinfection, and monitoring of pupils as the Ebola response continues.