UN agencies step up Ebola response in eastern DR Congo

This article is published in association with United Nations.

United Nations agencies have moved swiftly to support efforts to contain the latest Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), delivering emergency medical supplies, protective equipment and logistics support.

As health authorities in both the DRC and Uganda respond to the deadly resurgence, the UN is also helping to strengthen preparedness and raise awareness in at-risk communities.  

UN aid workers have been on the job since the outbreak was declared on 15 May in Ituri province in eastern DRC.   

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Within 72 hours, the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered 11.5 tonnes of medical supplies and equipment from the capital, Kinshasa, and from its regional hubs in Dakar and Nairobi. 

The supplies included personal protective equipment, medical kits and tents.  Water, sanitation and hygiene items were also provided to help prevent infection and support effective case management. 

UN mission support 

WHO said collaboration with partner organizations and the private sector has been crucial.  

The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, quickly deployed its air assets to support the Congolese authorities and UN agencies. 

Starting on Sunday, MONUSCO established an “air bridge” to transport WHO emergency supplies from Nairobi to Bunia, capital of Ituri province.  Four vehicles and two motorcycles were also sent to the city to strengthen logistic efforts on the ground.  

By Wednesday, the mission had airlifted nearly 30 tonnes of supplies to Bunia.   

Peacekeepers spread awareness 

MONUSCO’s response extends beyond logistics as its peacekeepers are actively conducting community awareness campaigns. 

On Monday, the “blue helmets” were in Tchabi, located in Irumi territory some 120 kilometres from Bunia, informing dozens of residents about key preventative measures such as personal hygiene and risks associated with consuming bush meat. 

A similar exercise was carried out the following day in Fataki, targeting internally displaced people and local communities. 

Teams used loudspeakers to stress the importance of regular handwashing, proper use of protective equipment, and recognising Ebola symptoms. 

 “These initiatives aim to enhance community preparedness, reduce panic, and protect vulnerable populations, in line with MONUSCO’s civilian protection mandate,” the UN mission said. 

Health emergency adds to hunger crisis 

The outbreak is compounding an already severe humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned, where armed groups have been active for decades.

It comes at a particularly dangerous moment for the country overall as 26.5 million people nationwide are already facing acute food insecurity.   

This includes 10 million people in Ituri and three other eastern provinces who are experiencing severe hunger driven by conflict and displacement.

In Ituri alone, some 1.7 million people – more than a third of the population – are at crisis or worse hunger levels.  

Delivering vital assistance 

“Indeed, the epicentre of the current health crisis is in the heart of WFP’s operational areas of eastern DRC, positioning us to play a key role in supporting the overall response,” the UN agency said. 

“Already, we are providing vital assistance across several pillars – including support to frontline health workers to safely carry out response efforts.” 

WFP is facilitating the transport of aid workers, medical supplies and essential cargo into hard-to-reach areas and stands ready to scale up efforts. 

It is also providing critical logistics services on behalf of the wider humanitarian community, in addition to providing food and nutrition assistance to patients, survivors, contacts and affected households. 

WFP currently needs over $214 million to support operations in the DRC, and over $10 million specifically for Ebola response. 

Concern for children

Meanwhile, the UN child rights agency UNICEF has voiced concern for children as they “are especially vulnerable to the impacts of Ebola outbreaks, including disruptions to essential services, loss of parents and caregivers, stigma, psychosocial distress, and increased protection risks.” 

UNICEF support to date has included mobilising nearly 50 tonnes of supplies that includes disinfectants and soaps, personal protective equipment, water purification tablets and water tanks.

An Emergency Rapid Response team is also on the way to Bunia to provide technical assistance in priority areas, including support for risk communication and community engagement. 

Although over 2,000 community health workers are already in place, additional capacity and resources are urgently needed, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

Rare strain 

The DRC has battled Ebola 17 times since the virus was first discovered 50 years ago.  The latest outbreak was caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, and no vaccines or medicines currently exist to treat it.  

To date, there have been 139 deaths in the DRC, and some 600 suspected cases, while Uganda has confirmed two cases. 

WHO declared that the outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern – requiring countries to coordinate and cooperate on response – but not a pandemic emergency.