Ebola Resurges in DR Congo: Grief and Gaps in a Fragile Health System

Goma, DR Congo – Sadiki Patrick, 40, remains inconsolable after losing his 15-year-old daughter Judith in Mongbwalu, a mining town in eastern DR Congo. Judith is one of the latest victims of Ebola as the country grapples with its 17th outbreak in 50 years.

“It breaks my heart to lose a third child in her youth. I sent her to school so she could learn and become a useful person. Now she is gone,” Patrick said, his voice choked with grief. He described the situation in Mongbwalu as dire, accusing authorities of failing to act quickly enough to stop the disease from spreading.

According to Congo’s government, Mongbwalu was where the first cases of the new outbreak were recorded. Residents describe daily deaths in the village, while local health services are nearly helpless. The repeated outbreaks highlight a health system weakened by poverty and persistent conflict, leaving communities dangerously vulnerable to deadly infectious diseases.

Why Does Ebola Keep Coming Back?

Dr. Francine Mbona Pendeza, who fought Ebola in North Kivu province between 2018 and 2020, points to unsafe eating habits, lack of clean water, and a weak health system as key drivers of overlapping outbreaks. “Our people have a habit of eating raw or undercooked food. We grill meat without cooking it thoroughly, which allows germs to thrive. Another factor is clean water, which is very scarce in Congo,” she said. Dr. Mbona also noted that hospitals in remote areas are extremely hard to reach: “To get to a hospital, you have to travel many kilometers. And sometimes, when you arrive, you find staff who are not sufficiently trained.”

Congo’s authorities stress that response teams are working to contain the current Ebola strain. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced that a team of experts has arrived in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, to bolster the response. The team includes epidemiologists, data collection specialists, risk communication experts, and community mobilizers. Congo has experienced an average of one Ebola outbreak every three years. The tenth outbreak (Zaire strain) devastated North Kivu and Ituri from 2018 to 2020, killing more than 2,300 people.

Gaps in Healthcare Access

According to Dr. Mbona, the lack of access to quality healthcare is the root cause of recurring epidemics. “If a sick person cannot find treatment, they easily infect others. Elsewhere, medical care is free. Here, everything costs money. Those without money get no care and lie there, potentially infecting many others.”

In December 2025, Congo declared the end of its 16th Ebola outbreak in the Bulape area. Forty days earlier, authorities also declared the mpox outbreak over. However, health officials have warned that vigilance must be maintained. Dr. Rodriguez Kisando, an environmental health specialist, said the health system’s failures have turned Congo into a breeding ground for disease. “We need structural preventive health policies that educate people about disease prevention habits. Given the country’s vast size, health facilities should be brought closer to the people. Health insurance is rare. We also need a proactive health communication strategy, not just one that reacts to outbreaks. And we need technology,” Kisando stressed.

According to the latest figures from Congo’s Ministry of Health, more than 500 suspected Ebola cases have been recorded, with over 130 deaths. Patrick Sadiki still cannot believe what happened to his daughter. Judith showed malaria-like symptoms in April and was treated at home. When her condition worsened, she was finally taken to a hospital. “Unfortunately, it was too late. Two days after being admitted, she died. Because we didn’t have enough money, she had to be treated at home.” Patrick’s entire family tested negative for Ebola.

‘Natural Environment’ for Pathogens

Dr. Alphonsine Muhoza believes the increase in outbreaks results from a complex mix of environmental, biological, socio-economic, and structural factors. Home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, Congo is a “natural environment” for many viruses and bacteria. “Deforestation, agricultural expansion, and hunting bring humans into direct contact with disease-carrying animals like bats, primates, and rodents, creating conditions for diseases like Ebola to spread,” she explained. Dr. Alphonsine also linked the frequency of outbreaks to healthcare weaknesses, including low vaccination rates and unstable motivation among health workers.

Geopolitical analyst Gloire Koko describes the epidemics in eastern Congo as a “consequence” of armed conflict and ongoing insecurity. “Everyone focuses on the war and forgets that other sectors, especially health, exist. In the east, many communities depend on health services provided by state partners like WHO and NGOs. In a war context, many UN agencies and NGOs may not be able to run their programs.” Koko added that security risks can also deter people from seeing a doctor.

‘We Will Contain It’

Nonprofit organization Save the Children has warned that the crisis could worsen. “The Ebola outbreak is a new crisis piled on top of an already difficult situation, with a set of exceptional circumstances that make this outbreak harder to control than previous ones. It lies in a conflict zone, a humanitarian crisis area, with hundreds of thousands of displaced people and a health system that has already been severely damaged,” said country director Greg Ramm.

Christophe Milenge, a motorcycle taxi driver in Goma, blames the climate. “I believe Congo’s climate favors the serious diseases we have seen in recent years. And that is something we cannot control.” Professor Jean Jacques Muyembe, a virologist and co-discoverer of Ebola in 1976, declined to comment on the strength of Congo’s health system. “Our surveillance system failed in this Ebola outbreak. But we have experience in this field, and we will contain it,” he said.

Meanwhile, families continue to mourn their lost loved ones. “From now on, there will be an empty chair at our dinner table,” Patrick said of Judith. “We miss her so much, and I would love to see her again, in happiness.”