Congo’s Ebola response faces critical juncture

Subject

The Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Significance

Ebola cases in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are steadily rising and violence against healthcare workers has reached alarming levels, severely hampering the response.

Impacts

• Protracted violence in the Beni area, even if unrelated to the response, will severely complicate humanitarian access.
• The fragmented political and military landscape around Butembo is conducive to conspiracy theories about the identities of perpetrators.
• The imperfect character of community engagement has entrenched distrust, and further violent episodes are likely.