The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that repeated attacks on healthcare workers and ambulances are hampering efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The country is battling its fastest-growing Ebola outbreak, with health workers facing increasing hostility and mistrust in some affected communities.
Dr Thierno Baldé, an incident manager with the WHO, said one of the response operation’s ambulances was attacked in Bunia, describing such incidents as a persistent threat to the delivery of healthcare services.
“Almost on a daily basis,” Baldé said, health workers encounter hostile reactions from communities struggling to cope with the disease and its devastating consequences.
The outbreak has killed more than 2,300 people, making it the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC.
Health officials say strengthening community engagement remains one of the biggest challenges facing the response. They emphasise the need to help residents understand how Ebola spreads, recognise its symptoms and know where to seek medical care when someone becomes ill.
For families already dealing with sick or dying relatives, fear, grief and mistrust can further complicate efforts to control the spread of the virus.
Health workers are therefore urging stronger cooperation between communities and response teams to ensure that patients receive timely care and that preventive measures can be implemented effectively.
