Congo-Kinshasa: Inside Bunia's Fight to Protect Families From DR Congo's Deadliest Ebola Outbreak

Efforts to curb Ebola are showing signs of success in Bunia, the capital of Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province and the outbreak's epicenter. Over 4,000 individuals have lost their lives in the span of five months, yet the response is beginning to demonstrate results, as teams strive to restore trust in healthcare services, safeguard women and children, and assist survivors.

Classified by the World Health Organization as a public health emergency of international concern, this is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In Rwampara, a district bordering Bunia, community workers have amplified their efforts to contain the virus. They have increased home visits, intensified public awareness campaigns, and organized community discussions to inform residents and urge them to seek medical care. "We used to have routine activities, but with Ebola, we had to modify our approach," health worker Emmanuel Birunga, who has been in the position for eight years, told RFI.

Birunga recounted the challenges of initially convincing people that the disease was real. Initially, residents dismissed it as common ailments such as malaria or attributed it to poison. They sought treatment from traditional healers who also suggested it was poison. However, as the death toll surged, residents gradually acknowledged the gravity of the situation.

Health centers are now increasingly crowded as residents restore faith in them. Maintaining this trust is crucial, according to Cynthia Stephanie Zoh, who assists community health workers at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). "Community engagement is always a challenge, as when a new disease emerges, you must devise methods to involve communities in various activities to provide accurate information," she explained. Educating, reassuring people, and countering misinformation have become integral to the response.

Beyond Bunia, the maternity ward at Rwampara health center was notably quiet on a Sunday morning. No new patients were present, and four women who had given birth the previous Thursday had already been discharged. A race against time to prevent an outbreak unfolded, mirroring the situation in Kenya, where the first Ebola fatality occurred.