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 vulnerable communities.
UN aid workers have been on the job since the outbreak was declared on 15 May in Ituri province in eastern DRC.
Within 72 hours, the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered 11.5 tons 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
The WHO said collaboration with partner organizations and the private sector has been essential.
The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, quickly deployed its air assets to support the Congolese authorities and UN agencies.
As of Sunday, MONUSCO established an “air bridge” to transport WHO emergency supplies from Nairobi to Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. Four vehicles and two motorcycles were also sent to the city to strengthen the logistical efforts on the ground.
On Wednesday, the mission was aired nearly 30 tons of supplies to Bunia.
Peacekeeping Dispersed Consciousness
MONUSCO’s response extends beyond logistics, as its peacekeeping forces actively carry out information campaigns in the local community.
On Monday, the “blue helmets” were in Tchabi, located in the Irumi territory about 120 kilometers from Bunia, informing dozens of residents about important preventive measures such as personal hygiene and the risks associated with consuming bush meat.
A similar exercise was conducted the following day in Fataki, targeting IDPs and local communities.
Teams used speakers to emphasize the importance of regular hand washing, proper use of protective equipment and recognizing Ebola symptoms.
“These initiatives aim to improve community preparedness, reduce panic and protect vulnerable population groupsin line with MONUSCO’s civilian protection mandate,” the UN mission said.
Health emergency contributes to hunger crisis
The outbreak is worsening an already dire humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, the World Food Program (WFP) warned, where armed groups have been active for decades.
It comes at a particularly dangerous time for the country in general 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, around 1.7 million people – more than a third of the population – are in crisis or worse, starving.
To provide vital assistance
“Really, the epicenter of the current health crisis is in the heart of WFP’s operational areas in eastern DRCwhich positions us to play a key role in supporting the overall response,” the UN agency said.
“Already we are providing vital assistance across multiple pillars – including supporting frontline health workers to safely carry out response efforts.”
WFP is facilitating the transport of aid workers, medical supplies and essential cargo to hard-to-reach areas and is ready to scale up efforts.
It also provides 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 the Ebola response.
Concern for children
Meanwhile, the United Nations children’s rights organization UNICEF has expressed concern for children as they “are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the Ebola outbreak, including disruption of essential services, loss of parents and caregivers, stigmatization, psychosocial distress and increased protection risks.”
UNICEF’s support to date has included the mobilization of nearly 50 tons of supplies that include disinfectants and soaps, personal protective equipment, water purification tablets and water tanks.
An emergency response team is also en route to Bunia to provide technical assistance in priority areas, including support for risk communication and community engagement.
Although over 2,000 health workers are already in place, there is an urgent need for additional capacity and resources, especially 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 there are currently no vaccines or drugs to treat it.
To date, there have been 139 deaths in DRC and around 600 suspected cases, while Uganda has confirmed two cases.
The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern – requiring countries to coordinate and cooperate on response – but not a pandemic emergency.
