A nurse was killed and a health worker severely injured in an attack while responding to an Ebola alert in Congo's Tshopo province. The attack took place on Saturday in the town of Bafwasende, according to the World Health Organisation. This incident is part of a series of attacks on health workers and responders that authorities say is hampering efforts to slow the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in the world.
The World Health Organisation's Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemned the attack, stating that everyone working to protect communities from the disease must be able to work in dignity and safety. He emphasized that healthcare must always be protected. The WHO regional director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, also condemned the attack, saying misinformation and fear must never fuel violence.
Local authorities have not yet commented on the attack or the suspects. The country's health ministry's most recent data indicates more than 9,800 cases, including more than 4,700 deaths, have been recorded since the start of the outbreak in May. This makes it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in Congo's history.
The Ebola outbreak has faced resistance from some residents who dismiss Ebola as a hoax. There is widespread distrust of the country's government due to its management of past Ebola outbreaks and chronic corruption. Responders say skepticism about the disease among communities has complicated efforts to work with residents, particularly in remote areas and emerging hot spots.
The country's health ministry has launched a village-centred approach to fight the outbreak. However, this approach has faced resistance from some residents. Last month, a Congolese politician was beaten to death in North Kivu after publicly defending the government's response to Ebola. He had been calling on the public to obey response measures, particularly social distancing and handwashing.
This is not the first attack on health workers responding to the Ebola outbreak. In May, at the start of the outbreak, two tents at health centres were set alight in two separate attacks in just one week by angry residents. Those on the front line of the response have previously said some members of various response teams have been held captive in some health zones.
The international community has taken note of the situation. Neighbouring countries have implemented measures to contain the outbreak. Uganda, for example, has introduced a 21-day quarantine for people entering from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The situation remains a concern for global health authorities, with efforts to combat the outbreak facing significant challenges.
Key points
- A nurse was killed and a health worker severely injured in an attack while responding to an Ebola alert in Congo's Tshopo province.
- The attack is part of a series of attacks on health workers and responders hampering efforts to slow the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in the world.
- The Ebola outbreak in Congo has recorded more than 9,800 cases and 4,700 deaths since the start of the outbreak in May.
