On February 20, a group of residents in the town of Rwampara, Ituri province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), attacked and set fire to an Ebola treatment center. The incident was sparked by authorities' refusal to return the body of a local man suspected of carrying the Ebola virus to his family for a traditional funeral.
According to witnesses, young people stormed the center after medical staff refused to release the body. They smashed and burned many items inside, including the remains of at least one Ebola victim being stored there. Aid workers were forced to evacuate the center in an emergency.
Police intervened but could not stop the attack. Alexis Burata, a local student, said: “Police tried to calm the situation but failed. In the end, the group of young people set the center on fire.”
Local authorities said the incident reflects a conflict between public health measures and local customs, especially regarding burials. The bodies of Ebola patients remain highly infectious, so health regulations require burials to be carried out by specialized teams in protective gear. Traditional rituals such as washing, touching the body, and large gatherings are considered risks for spreading the disease.
“Families, friends, and young people want to take the body home for a funeral, but the rules during this Ebola outbreak are clear. All bodies must be buried according to regulations,” explained Deputy Inspector General Jean Claude Mukendi, head of public security in Ituri province.
However, these measures are often seen as harsh and inhumane by families who are unable to perform final rites for their loved ones. This has fueled suspicions that medical staff are not transparent about what happens inside treatment centers.
Hama Amadou, field coordinator for humanitarian organization ALIMA—which has a team working in Rwampara—said the situation had since returned to normal and aid workers had resumed operations. The incident highlights the broader challenges facing DRC authorities and international organizations in controlling the outbreak in a volatile region.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in DRC a global public health emergency, warning that violence, displacement, and community mistrust are hindering efforts to stop the spread of the disease.
