Congo-Kinshasa: Children Left Behind in Ebola Outbreak Response
[MSF] Children are paying a devastating price in the Ebola outbreak unfolding in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). While children face a higher risk of death from Ebola than adults, they also represent a significant proportion of those affected by the current outbreak. According to Epicentre, MSF's epidemiological research centre, nearly one in four confirmed Ebola cases in…
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is leaving children disproportionately vulnerable, according to Médecins sans Frontières (MSF). Nearly one in four confirmed cases in North Kivu are children, with infants under one year old accounting for 13% of cases in the region. MSF teams have observed a particularly high case fatality rate among children at the Ebola Treatment Centre in Butembo, with 24 out of 30 children—most under the age of five—dying from the Bundibugyo virus between June and September 2026.
This is largely due to limited access to specialized care and the rapid progression of the disease. MSF is calling for stronger infection prevention and control measures, the availability of personal protective equipment, and increased training for healthcare workers in non-Ebola health centers. The organization is also urging for the inclusion of children in clinical research and the timely availability of vaccine trials and therapeutic innovations.
Children's rights are further threatened by disruptions to essential health services, which can increase the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, malnutrition, and other common childhood illnesses.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
