Health 26 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Ebola Response Hampered by Attacks and Fleeing Patients in Congo
Health workers in Congo's Ituri province are facing escalating attacks on treatment facilities and patients absconding, severely hindering efforts to contain a surging Ebola outbreak. Suspicions about the aid response and demands for bodies suitable for burial fuel the unrest. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/ebola-patients-flee-in-attacks-on-congo-health-facilities-hobbling-response-5474070
Efforts to combat the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being severely undermined by violence and a disturbing trend of patients fleeing treatment centers. In the northeastern Ituri province, where the outbreak is particularly acute, health facilities have been targeted multiple times, leading to significant disruptions.
At least three attacks have occurred, with two specifically targeting the Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital over a single weekend. These assaults resulted in the escape of over two dozen patients, some of whom were critically ill. This situation echoes past Ebola outbreaks in the region, where health workers faced significant hostility.
The motivation behind these attacks appears to stem from a deep-seated mistrust and denial of the virus within certain communities. “There is denial of the disease within the population, with some members wanting to claim the bodies of suspected and/or confirmed cases,” stated Dr. Richard Lokodu, medical director of the Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital. The safe burial of Ebola victims is a critical component of outbreak control, as improper handling of bodies can lead to further transmission.
The World Health Organization has declared the current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, a public health emergency of international concern. As of Monday, there have been over 900 suspected cases and 101 confirmed cases, with 220 suspected deaths. The delay in identifying cases means responders are now struggling to catch up.
During one of the attacks on the Mongbwalu hospital, a critically ill patient died while attempting to escape. The perpetrators’ primary demand appears to be the release of bodies for traditional burial rites, highlighting a clash between public health protocols and cultural practices. This unrest, coupled with ongoing insecurity from militia groups in the region, presents a formidable challenge to containing the spread of the deadly virus, which has also crossed into neighboring Uganda.