A nurse has been killed and another health worker severely injured in an attack on an Ebola response team in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raising fresh concerns about the safety of personnel battling the outbreak.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the attack occurred on Saturday in Bafwasende, Tshopo province, while the team was responding to an Ebola alert.
The organisation condemned the incident, warning that violence against healthcare workers could undermine efforts to contain the disease and protect affected communities.
The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and its Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Yakub Janabi, called for the protection of health workers and others involved in the response.
Local authorities had yet to identify the attackers or provide details about their motive as of the time of filing this report.
The incident comes as the country battles a severe Ebola outbreak that has placed additional pressure on an already stretched health system. Reports published on Monday, October 26, put the cumulative toll since the outbreak began in May at more than 9,800 reported cases and over 4,700 deaths.
Health workers have faced resistance in some communities, where misinformation and distrust of authorities have complicated efforts to identify infections, trace contacts and provide treatment.
The WHO has warned that fear and false information can fuel hostility towards medical personnel and weaken public cooperation with disease-control measures.
Previous incidents in the country have included threats against response teams, attacks on health facilities and violence against people supporting Ebola prevention efforts.
Such attacks can disrupt disease surveillance, delay the delivery of essential supplies and discourage medical staff from entering affected communities, reducing access to timely treatment and other essential services.
Ebola is a serious viral disease that can cause fever, weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea, with severe cases sometimes involving internal and external bleeding. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials.
Early identification of cases, isolation, infection-prevention measures and appropriate medical care are essential to limiting transmission.
The WHO urged communities to cooperate with disease-control efforts and called for health workers to be allowed to carry out their duties safely.
Further details about the investigation and the condition of the injured health worker were awaited.
Discussion0