Ebola in DR Congo ‘worsening vulnerability of people affected by armed conflict’

The Ebola epidemic in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is worsening the vulnerability of people already affected by armed conflict and other forms of violence, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Tuesday.

The ICRC said between May 15 and June 15, the five hospitals that it supports in North and South Kivu provinces recorded 303 casualties, which is 30% more than for the period from April 14 to May 14.

Congo has reported more than 800 confirmed Ebola cases, including 196 deaths, since the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola strain was declared on May 15, the Health Ministry said in the latest update.

The ICRC said that while the Ebola epidemic in the affected provinces demands heightened vigilance, there is a fear that it could be obscuring the continuing acute needs of people affected by armed conflict and other violence.

Moussa Badji, the ICRC’s medical coordinator in Congo, said the health crisis resulting from Ebola has not reduced the number of conflict-related emergency cases, where surgical teams are placed under constant pressure with a steady stream of weapon-wounded patients.

In a sign of intensifying hostilities, hospitals in Bukavu, Uvira, and Fizi, in South Kivu, have admitted 170 casualties, according to the ICRC.

“The combination of armed conflict and an epidemic is potentially devastating,” said Francois Moreillon, the head of the ICRC delegation in Congo.

He said that given the circumstances, it is essential that the warring parties act responsibly to ensure cooperation and optimum coordination on health matters, including facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations as well as the rapid, unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.

“These measures are essential to ensure that the wounded and sick receive appropriate medical care as quickly as possible.”

The virus is spreading across the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with Ituri accounting for nearly 95% of the cases.

The Doctors Without Borders medical charity said Monday that despite the scale-up in the response, major gaps in surveillance, diagnosis, contact tracing, and community engagement continue to undermine efforts to bring the outbreak under control, one month since the start of the outbreak.