On the front line of Congo’s Ebola outbreak

Published 2 July 2026 · health

Al Jazeera’s Catherine Wambua-Soi reports from Bunia, on the front line of the Ebola response. Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – From the moment

Al Jazeera’s Catherine Wambua-Soi reports from Bunia, on the front line of the Ebola response. Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – From the moment you arrive in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, it’s clear these are not normal times. Leaving the airport takes longer because of mandatory health checks. Along the road to the hotel, billboards carrying Ebola prevention messages line the streets. On the radio, public health programmes urge people to protect themselves. By the time the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May, the virus had already been spreading undetected for weeks through the mining town of Mongbwalu, Rwampara and Bunia before reaching neighbouring provinces. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. It is generally considered less deadly than some other strains, but there is no approved vaccine, making early detection critical. Our first stop was the Ebola treatment centre at Bunia General Hospital. Built to accommodate 50 patients, it was already full. Construction was under way to add another 86 beds. John Katabuka, who heads the hospital, says this strain presents differently from previous outbreaks. “Clinically, it moves through your body silently without you noticing it. We used to think Ebola meant bleeding and fever. But with this type, the symptoms only appear at the final stage, when you’re almost dying. It moves through your body without you even realising you’re sick.” We also met Tresor, who asked us to conceal his identity. His wife recently tested positive for Ebola, and he has only been able to see her from a distance.

He is waiting for his own test results. “People need to be educated. They have to understand this virus is real. We must accept that. I don’t want to take this disease lightly.” The Congolese government is leading the response alongside partners including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the United Nations. Diedonne Mwamba, head of the Institute of Public Health, is leading the mission. He is no stranger to Ebola outbreaks. He says they are dealing with far more than a health emergency. More than 1.3 million people are living in displacement camps after years of conflict. “It’s still a challenge to deal with those situations. To control the Ebola outbreak, we have to trace contacts. Some are in the camps, and sometimes we need to reach areas that are difficult to access. For that, we work with the authorities and negotiate safe access.” We then made our way to Rwampara, about an hour’s drive from Bunia. It is a densely populated town where many residents are cattle farmers, supplying Bunia with milk and meat. The local health centre also serves as an Ebola treatment facility run by the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA). Gabriel Tshiwisa showed us around. He says at least one person dies from Ebola every day. But fear, mistrust and rumours are making the outbreak even harder to contain. Some people still do not believe the disease exists. Others claim it was brought by outsiders seeking to profit from the crisis. Dr Tshiwisa says: “The biggest challenge is helping the community understand the outbreak and what we’re doing here.