Surviving the Ebola Outbreak in the Heart of Congo
When Eliezer Kasongo, a community volunteer in Bunia, Congo, first heard about the Ebola outbreak, he believed it would quickly pass. However, as the reality of the epidemic began to hit home, when people he knew started to fall ill and die, he dramatically changed his perspective.
Now, the 25-year-old spends his time going door to door, spreading awareness about the disease and advocating for preventative measures in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in eastern Congo. The region is the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak that the government officially acknowledged in mid-May.
The Rapid Spread of the Disease
The deadly virus is believed to have been spreading for weeks before the official declaration, with the initial cases mainly originating from a remote mining town called Mongbwalu. As of now, there are 782 confirmed Ebola cases and 181 confirmed deaths in eastern Congo. However, health and aid officials believe these figures are underestimated due to delays in testing and unnoticed deaths in isolated villages and outskirts of towns.
Visible Impact of Ebola in Bunia
Bunia, a city with a population of over one million, is now home to the highest number of cases — 212. The city is now marked by the constant reminders of the ongoing Ebola crisis. Handwashing stations are everywhere, while public announcements regularly echo throughout the city, encouraging residents not to panic.
Kasongo and other volunteers strive to educate the people and are generally met with understanding. However, they sometimes face resistance due to the growing fear and uncertainty amongst the residents, as the death toll continues to rise.
The Challenges of Disease Control
The task of controlling and preventing the spread of the disease is challenging. Health officials struggle to track down suspected cases, which is crucial in halting the disease's spread. So far, they've only been able to trace 56% of contacts across the three Congolese provinces with active Ebola transmission.
The situation is further complicated by the region's difficult conditions. Armed groups, lack of proper roads, and densely populated towns and cities pose significant obstacles to the health workers. Furthermore, despite its rich copper and cobalt reserves, Congo remains one of the world's poorest countries, with over 85% of the population surviving on roughly $3 a day.
The Strain on the Health System
Decades of armed conflict have left the region's health system severely underfunded, and the Ebola outbreak is adding significant strain. Recently, a hospital in Bunia called Clinique Universelle was forced to shut down after a patient tested positive for the disease. The staff, lacking personal protective equipment (PPE), had to spend their weekend cleaning the hospital's walls with a chlorine solution.
There has been an influx of medicines and PPE from aid organizations, but supply still falls short of the demand. Essential items such as protective gloves, which need to be replaced frequently, are often in short supply. This situation has led to increased fear among health workers, including Dr. Mazirane, the hospital director. He expressed his desire to leave the medical profession out of concern for his children's future in case he succumbs to the disease.
"We're not just afraid, we're very afraid," he confessed.
When Eliezer Kasongo, a community volunteer in Bunia, Congo, first heard about the Ebola outbreak, he believed it would quickly pass. However, as the reality of the epidemic began to hit home, when people he knew started to fall ill and die, he dramatically changed his perspective.
Now, the 25-year-old spends his time going door to door, spreading awareness about the disease and advocating for preventative measures in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in eastern Congo. The region is the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak that the government officially acknowledged in mid-May.
The Rapid Spread of the Disease
The deadly virus is believed to have been spreading for weeks before the official declaration, with the initial cases mainly originating from a remote mining town called Mongbwalu. As of now, there are 782 confirmed Ebola cases and 181 confirmed deaths in eastern Congo. However, health and aid officials believe these figures are underestimated due to delays in testing and unnoticed deaths in isolated villages and outskirts of towns.
Visible Impact of Ebola in Bunia
Bunia, a city with a population of over one million, is now home to the highest number of cases — 212. The city is now marked by the constant reminders of the ongoing Ebola crisis. Handwashing stations are everywhere, while public announcements regularly echo throughout the city, encouraging residents not to panic.
Kasongo and other volunteers strive to educate the people and are generally met with understanding. However, they sometimes face resistance due to the growing fear and uncertainty amongst the residents, as the death toll continues to rise.
The Challenges of Disease Control
The task of controlling and preventing the spread of the disease is challenging. Health officials struggle to track down suspected cases, which is crucial in halting the disease's spread. So far, they've only been able to trace 56% of contacts across the three Congolese provinces with active Ebola transmission.
The situation is further complicated by the region's difficult conditions. Armed groups, lack of proper roads, and densely populated towns and cities pose significant obstacles to the health workers. Furthermore, despite its rich copper and cobalt reserves, Congo remains one of the world's poorest countries, with over 85% of the population surviving on roughly $3 a day.
The Strain on the Health System
Decades of armed conflict have left the region's health system severely underfunded, and the Ebola outbreak is adding significant strain. Recently, a hospital in Bunia called Clinique Universelle was forced to shut down after a patient tested positive for the disease. The staff, lacking personal protective equipment (PPE), had to spend their weekend cleaning the hospital's walls with a chlorine solution.
There has been an influx of medicines and PPE from aid organizations, but supply still falls short of the demand. Essential items such as protective gloves, which need to be replaced frequently, are often in short supply. This situation has led to increased fear among health workers, including Dr. Mazirane, the hospital director. He expressed his desire to leave the medical profession out of concern for his children's future in case he succumbs to the disease.
"We're not just afraid, we're very afraid," he confessed.