Key facts
- Ebola is spreading in displacement camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Health workers face resistance from locals who deny Ebola deaths and believe it is a hoax.
- Cuts to aid and health budgets are hindering containment efforts.
- Poor sanitation in camps increases the risk of rapid transmission.
- Armed conflict and distrust of authorities complicate efforts to control the outbreak.
Ebola is spreading in displacement camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with health workers struggling to contain the outbreak due to deep-seated mistrust from locals, denial of the virus, and attacks on treatment sites. This situation is exacerbated by cuts to aid and health budgets, as well as ongoing armed conflict in the region.
In the Kpangba displacement camp, health workers were forced away by angry locals who denied that two women had died from Ebola, preventing contact tracing and hindering efforts to break transmission chains. The camp houses around 30,000 people, many of whom have fled inter-ethnic violence. Similar distrust and attacks on health facilities have been reported across eastern Congo, recalling a deadly 2018-2020 outbreak.
Aid workers fear the virus could spread rapidly in camps with poor sanitation, where hundreds of people may share a single toilet. More than 5 million people are displaced across the three provinces affected by the outbreak: Ituri, South Kivu, and North Kivu. The difficulties in winning public trust, coupled with shortages of critical equipment and ongoing conflict, have health experts deeply concerned about controlling the epidemic.