Attacks on Ebola Clinics in DRC Linked to Mistrust and Burial Practices

The Story

Community members attacked an Ebola treatment center in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on May 21, followed by two more attacks on a different facility that weekend. Staff and suspected patients fled. Aid workers say false rumors and cultural tensions around death and burial are driving the violence.

Key Facts

• An Ebola treatment center in eastern DRC was attacked by community members on May 21, with two additional attacks on a different facility by the end of that weekend.
• Staff and suspected Ebola patients fled during the attacks.
• Dr. Babou Rukengeza, Ebola Response Health Lead for Save the Children, said building trust is the necessary response.
• Rumors circulating on social media include false claims that Ebola is not real, that humanitarian workers are there for profit, and that aid groups withhold the best care.
• Dr. Micaela Serafini of Doctors Without Borders Switzerland recalled a 2019 attack on a DRC clinic where people believed everyone who entered was killed.
• Death and burial practices are a flashpoint: traditional customs involve washing and sleeping beside the body, but Ebola remains contagious for about seven days after death.
• The World Health Organization estimated that funeral practices contributed to 80% of cases in Sierra Leone and 60% in Guinea during the West Africa outbreak.
• In one attack, community members demanded the body of a loved one for traditional burial despite medical warnings.
• Local authorities capped funeral sizes to 50 people near the outbreak epicenter.
• Some burials required armed guards to prevent confrontations.
• Doctors Without Borders now uses body bags with transparent windows so families can see the deceased’s face.
• The organization briefs families on death protocols from the moment a suspected patient arrives.
• Catholic Relief Services is in preliminary conversations to train religious leaders on safe burial practices.
• Dr. Jean Kaseya of the Africa CDC said some community leaders will receive motorbikes to help dispel rumors, and information is being shared via WhatsApp, churches, and radio.
• Rukengeza noted that some families agreed to modified burial customs after receiving scientific explanations.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

The article does not specify the exact number of casualties or the current status of the outbreak beyond the declaration of a public health emergency. Whether the attacks have ceased is also unclear.

Misconceptions

The article addresses false beliefs that Ebola is not real, that humanitarian workers are only seeking profit, and that aid groups are withholding effective medicines and vaccines.

Key Figures

• Dr. Babou Rukengeza, Ebola Response Health Lead for Save the Children, based in DRC.
• Dr. Micaela Serafini, president of Doctors Without Borders Switzerland.
• Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Max Lieblich, emergency program manager for Catholic Relief Services in northeastern DRC.

Sources: NPR