Ebola hits the health sector in Congo: 75 medical staff infected and 17 dead

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

The organization revealed Global Health The health sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been severely impacted by the Ebola outbreak, with 75 medical workers infected and 17 of them having died since the start of the current outbreak.

Ebola spread several months before the official announcement

The organization explained, in statements made by Emergency Director Marie Roselyn Pellesaire during a video press conference from the east of the country, that the Ebola virus had likely been spreading several months before the official announcement of the outbreak on May 15, resulting in many doctors and nurses being infected without knowing the nature of the disease.

The crisis worsened as supplies began to run out.

The crisis worsened as essential supplies needed to protect medical staff, such as gloves and masks, began to run out, increasing the risk of infection within health facilities.

Belizer stressed that the health system in Congo is paying a “heavy price,” noting that the country is already suffering from a severe shortage of medical personnel, with only about 11 healthcare workers per 10,000 people, according to World Health Organization data, which is among the lowest rates globally.

In an effort to contain the crisis, she noted that both China and Uganda had sent medical teams to support the Congolese health system, while the organization continues to provide psychological support to doctors, who are living in a state of extreme fear after a number of their colleagues were injured and died.

She added: “When they tell the details of what they are going through and how they were infected, it is heartbreaking,” referring to the scale of human suffering faced by frontline workers.

These developments highlight the fragility of health systems in some countries, and the urgent need to strengthen their capabilities to cope with epidemics and emergency health crises.