Attacks on health workers and facilities are increasingly hindering efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Re
Attacks on health workers and facilities are increasingly hindering efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa’s top public health agency has warned.
The outbreak has killed more than 5,400 people. At a press briefing on Thursday, Africa CDC’s Wessam Mankoula listed four armed attacks, 16 assaults on responders and 11 health facilities that were burned or otherwise targeted. He said the attacks had become increasingly deadly since late September.
At a separate briefing, World Health Organisation experts said the continuing violence risked undoing the progress made over the past six months.
The warnings follow a series of incidents in recent weeks. Last month, a nurse was killed and another health worker severely injured while responding to an Ebola alert in Congo, according to the WHO.
The WHO’s regional director for Africa condemned the attack, saying misinformation and fear must never fuel violence.
Responders say community distrust has made the work harder. Some residents dismiss Ebola as a hoax and have resisted a village-centred approach to the response.
The outbreak began in May and is the deadliest Ebola outbreak in Congo’s history.
Responders say scepticism among communities has complicated work in remote areas and emerging hot spots that already face shortages of medical supplies and health workers.
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