Congo-Kinshasa: Inside Bunia's Fight to Protect Families From DR Congo's Deadliest Ebola Outbreak

What the report says

Efforts to contain Ebola in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, are beginning to show results, according to RFI reporting republished by AllAfrica. The city has been at the centre of what the article describes as the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history, with more than 4,000 deaths over five months. The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern.

RFI said local health workers and aid agencies are focusing on rebuilding public trust in clinics, expanding community outreach and protecting vulnerable groups, especially women, children and survivors. In Rwampara, on Bunia’s outskirts, workers are carrying out home visits, awareness sessions and community discussions after many residents initially mistook the disease for malaria or poison and turned to traditional healers. Health staff also described shortages of protective gear early in the response and a drop in facility-based births as fear spread.

The article highlighted efforts by UN agencies and local staff to support mothers and children. Unicef has set up nurseries beside Ebola treatment centres for children separated from parents, while UNFPA-supported teams are working to restore maternal and reproductive health services. Some health centres are seeing patients return as confidence improves, though the epidemic continues to disrupt care and put women at particular risk because of their caregiving and funeral roles.

RFI also noted that survivors are helping in the response and that conditions remain worrying in parts of North Kivu, where insecurity complicates access for health teams. The report suggests that while Bunia’s response is improving, the wider crisis is still severe.