Key facts
- Fear of Ebola is causing women and children to avoid essential healthcare in eastern Congo.
- Maternal deaths in Ituri province increased by nearly 70% between May and July compared to the previous year.
- UNFPA reported a 30% drop in hospital deliveries and a 50% drop in obstetric complication treatments from May to July.
- Routine childhood vaccinations have fallen by more than half in Ebola hotspots.
- Misinformation about Ebola treatments and fear of Ebola treatment centers are contributing to parents avoiding healthcare.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is causing a significant decline in essential healthcare services for mothers and children, leading to increased maternal deaths and reduced childhood immunization rates. Health workers and aid agencies report that fear of contracting Ebola, coupled with misinformation, is deterring people from seeking prenatal care, giving birth in facilities, and vaccinating their children.
Health workers in Butembo noted a sharp drop in births at their maternity ward, with many women opting for home births and delaying seeking care until conditions are critical. Head nurse Liliane Adronga stated that women believe the medicines administered contain the Ebola virus, a baseless suspicion contributing to tragic outcomes, such as a woman believed to have lost her baby to untreated malaria.
Official figures highlight the severity of the crisis. In Ituri province, maternal deaths soared by nearly 70% between May and July compared to the previous year. The UNFPA reported a more than 30% decrease in hospital deliveries and a 50% drop in treatment for obstetric complications during the same period. Routine childhood vaccinations have also seen a sharp decline, with UNICEF warning of significant drops across Ebola hotspots. In Mongbwalu, first-dose measles vaccinations fell by 69%, and health facilities in Ituri administered 23,000 fewer routine vaccine doses in May and June than in April.
Experts like Raoul Kamadjeu from UNICEF emphasize that the indirect effects of the persistent epidemic on health, nutrition, child protection, and security are as concerning as the direct impact of Ebola itself. Misinformation and superstition exacerbate the problem, with parents like Masika Furaha avoiding health facilities for fear of being sent to Ebola treatment centers. Pediatrician Dr. Mupenzi Mumbere recounted instances where mothers feared their children would be killed by Ebola if referred to a hospital for treatment, leading many to resort to self-medication or traditional healers with devastating results.