Women and children are bearing a disproportionate share of the impact of the Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Women and children are bearing a disproportionate share of the impact of an Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with the crisis also disrupting access to essential healthcare, UN humanitarian agencies have warned.
The outbreak is unfolding in Ituri province, where nearly one million people are displaced, around 80 per cent of them women and children, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said children account for almost one-third of all deaths from the outbreak, despite representing nearly a quarter of confirmed cases.
The health crisis is also affecting access to medical services in areas hardest hit by Ebola. UNICEF said the use of health facilities in parts of Ituri has fallen by more than 40 per cent in recent months, as fears of infection have discouraged people from seeking treatment.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) warned that pregnant women are particularly vulnerable as fear of Ebola and overstretched health services prevent many from seeking medical care.
Maternal deaths in Ituri have nearly doubled since the outbreak began, with an average of about six women dying each week from childbirth-related complications.
Ebola infections during pregnancy also remain associated with almost universal fetal loss, highlighting the additional risks faced by pregnant women during the outbreak.
UN humanitarian agencies have stressed that rebuilding confidence in health services and communities is essential to containing the outbreak and encouraging people to seek treatment at an early stage.
UNICEF and its partners, working with the DRC Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organisation and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, have deployed 13,000 community workers and other personnel to support the response.
The teams have reached more than 2.4 million people with information on Ebola prevention and early detection, while more than 500,000 household visits have been carried out to counter misinformation and encourage residents to seek medical assistance quickly when symptoms emerge.
The humanitarian response is also being extended to neighbouring South Sudan, where authorities and international partners are preparing for the possibility of the virus crossing the border.
No Ebola cases have been confirmed in South Sudan, but OCHA said the outbreak in the DRC and movement of people between the two countries continued to pose a risk.
Preparedness measures include disease surveillance, screening at border entry points, training for healthcare workers, distribution of medical supplies and community awareness campaigns.
Health partners screened more than 135,300 travellers at points of entry into South Sudan this month as part of efforts to detect potential cases early.
More than 300 health workers and frontline personnel have also received training in screening, triage, infection prevention and control, referrals and safe burial procedures.
Authorities and humanitarian partners have pre-positioned more than seven tonnes of emergency supplies in Yambio, near the border with the DRC, to support a rapid response if cases are detected.
However, insecurity continues to complicate humanitarian operations in South Sudan.
OCHA said 451 incidents that blocked or threatened humanitarian activities were reported across the country between January and July.
The situation is particularly challenging along the Yei-Morobo corridor, where 32 humanitarian staff abductions have been recorded since January last year.
The security concerns have made it more difficult for humanitarian organisations to reach communities in areas considered at higher risk of Ebola transmission.
The UN said maintaining preparedness in South Sudan remains important despite the absence of confirmed cases, given the movement of people across the border and the continuing outbreak in neighbouring DRC.
In Ituri, meanwhile, humanitarian agencies are focusing on restoring trust in healthcare services while continuing efforts to prevent transmission and improve early detection.
The UN response is combining community engagement with health surveillance, public information and support for essential services, with particular attention to women, children and other vulnerable groups affected by the outbreak.
