Ebola-hit DR Congo faces ‘catastrophic collision’ of disease and conflict, WHO warns

Ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is hampering the Ebola outbreak response, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Ituri province in the east of the country was at the centre of a “catastrophic collision of disease and conflict”.

In a statement posted on X, Tedros said the WHO could not “build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling”. He is due to travel to DR Congo this week to spearhead efforts to contain the virus.

Meanwhile Uganda has announced it is temporarily closing its border with DR Congo. There have been 220 suspected deaths since the outbreak was declared.

Aid workers have been struggling as travel is difficult because of poor road conditions while conflict and mass displacement have also weakened the health system – as have international aid cuts.

Ituri, where most of the cases have been reported, has been under military rule since 2021, when the civilian authority was replaced by a military general in an attempt to neutralise dozens of armed groups that operate there.

Tedros said stopping transmission in the region “depends entirely on humanitarian access”.

“Yet ongoing clashes are driving mass displacement, pushing exposed contacts into overcrowded camps and severing critical containment corridors,” he added.

“Frontline workers are risking everything, while attacks on health facilities make tracking cases and their contacts nearly impossible.”

He called on all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire to allow medical teams safe access.

Concerns over the possible spread of the Ebola outbreak have spurred more countries into imposing strict travel restrictions.

On Wednesday, Uganda said its border closure would take effect immediately. Only essential workers – including medical and humanitarian workers, food transporters and security personnel – would be allowed to cross under strict conditions.

Canada has announced a 90-day entry ban for residents from DR Congo and neighbouring Uganda and South Sudan. The Bahamas also imposed strict rules meaning foreign nationals from those countries face quarantine or isolation measures.

Last week the US banned non-citizens who had travelled to any of the three countries from entering.

Source:Fiilafmonline/BBC