The Ebola epidemic currently affecting eastern Democratic Republic of Congo continues to worsen, while humanitarian organizations struggle to contain the spread of the virus amid food shortages and chronic underfunding.
According to the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, more than 900 suspected cases and more than 220 presumed deaths have already been recorded. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, is believed to have circulated undetected for several weeks, as health authorities initially sought the more common Zaire strain.
On the ground, humanitarian actors are highlighting the direct link between the spread of the virus and food insecurity. “Some health measures require people to be confined to specific areas, but without food assistance, these people will not stay confined,” warns Olivier Nkakudulu, head of the World Food Programme (WFP) office in Ituri. “They will go in search of food, particularly in markets, at the risk of infecting others,” he adds.
To address the emergency, several agencies have delivered tons of humanitarian aid to Bunia to support the three most affected areas: Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongbwalu. However, mistrust among some of the population is significantly complicating efforts to combat the epidemic. Two of the three treatment centers established in these towns have been burned down by residents.
This mistrust is compounded by significant budgetary constraints. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports a funding shortfall of $218 million for the current year. According to public health experts, the international aid cuts decided last year by the United States and other wealthy countries have severely weakened the healthcare capacity of eastern Congo to combat infectious diseases.
NGOs on the ground also denounce a critical lack of equipment: protective suits and visors for caregivers, screening kits, body bags or equipment for safe burials, essential to avoid further contamination.
