Mumbai, August 8: The United Nations has reported that the Ebola outbreak in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is disproportionately affecting women and children. According to humanitarian workers, nearly one million people have been displaced due to the outbreak, with approximately 80% of them being women and children.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated on Friday that the situation in Ituri is dire. UNICEF reports that children account for nearly one-third of total deaths, while they make up about a quarter of confirmed cases.
This outbreak has severely disrupted essential health services. UNICEF noted that in the areas hardest hit by Ebola in Ituri, there has been a more than 40% drop in the utilization of health services in recent months, as fear of infection keeps people away.
According to reports from the Xinhua news agency, the UN Population Fund has warned that the fear of Ebola and the immense pressure on health services are preventing many pregnant women from receiving necessary care. Since the outbreak began, maternal deaths during childbirth have nearly doubled, with an average of six women losing their lives each week due to complications. In cases of Ebola infection during pregnancy, fetal death is nearly guaranteed.
OCHA emphasized the urgent need to restore community trust. UNICEF and its partners have deployed over 13,000 community workers and others in collaboration with the DRC’s Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organization, and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. These workers have reached more than 2.4 million people with messages about Ebola prevention and early detection. They have also visited over 500,000 homes to combat misinformation and encourage timely medical treatment.
In neighboring South Sudan, the UN and its partners continue to assist government-led preparations against Ebola. OCHA reported that no confirmed cases have emerged in South Sudan yet, but the risk remains due to the outbreak in the DRC and cross-border movements.
OCHA outlined that these preparedness efforts include monitoring for early case identification, screening at entry points, training health workers, providing medical supplies, and conducting community awareness campaigns. This month, health partners screened over 135,300 travelers at entry points in South Sudan. More than 300 health workers and frontline staff have been trained in screening, triage, infection prevention and control, referral, and safe burial practices. Additionally, over seven tons of emergency supplies have already been stockpiled near the border with the DRC in Yambio.
However, insecurity has hindered these efforts. Between January and July, there were 451 incidents that disrupted or threatened humanitarian operations across South Sudan. According to OCHA, there have been recorded incidents of abduction involving 32 humanitarian workers in the Yei-Morobo corridor since January last year, highlighting the challenges of working in areas at high risk for Ebola.
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