NYANKUNDE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – Violence and lack of trust between locals and the community have disrupted the important medical process at an Ebola treatment centre in Ituri province, east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to reports, on Saturday, July 18, people from the locality assaulted the Samaritan’s Purse Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC) in Nyankunde and started throwing stones. They also entered the “red zone” meant for confirmed Ebola cases after breaking the facility boundary. In the process, four patients escaped but later returned, while one is missing.
There is footage showing broken walls and fencing at the treatment centre, where doctors in protective gear were seen decontaminating other doctors and working under tough circumstances. Locals reported that they heard gunfire when a militiaman was killed close by and taken to the hospital.
Health officials revealed that an investigation into the assault was underway and medical practitioners were slowly resuming treatment of patients.
This situation underscores the difficulty faced by aid workers in the area, as security issues continue to pose barriers to containment. As reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the current outbreak, which began in May 2026 in both the DRC and Uganda, is caused by the very rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. The Bundibugyo strain is unique in that there is presently no known vaccine and no cure for the disease, meaning isolation is crucial.
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