The World Health Organization (WHO) says it needs 5,000 additional health workers to help contain a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The outbreak, officially detected on May 15, has spread to six provinces across the country’s conflict-affected east and northeast.
According to the WHO, citing official Congolese figures, more than 6,600 people have been confirmed infected, with 3,175 deaths recorded since the outbreak began.
Health facilities in affected areas are struggling with shortages of personnel and resources as the number of Ebola patients continues to rise.
Ebola spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe internal and external bleeding, organ failure and death.
WHO Plans 3,000 Ebola Treatment Beds
The WHO is working to establish 3,000 beds in Ebola treatment centres across the DRC.
Luca Fontana, a senior technical official with the United Nations health agency, said three medical staff are required for each patient, meaning about 9,000 health workers would be needed when the planned capacity is reached.
“More than 900 beds have been built within the first two months of the response, and we have now reached close to 1,400 beds across 59 treatment centres,” Fontana told a press briefing in Geneva.
“Despite this extraordinary effort, we estimate that another 1,600 beds will be required to meet the rapidly growing needs,” he continued.
“Right now we have nearly 4,000 healthcare workers currently working inside the treatment centres. So it means we need 5,000 more.”
Fontana said the health ministry in Kinshasa was racing to identify suitable medical personnel from other parts of the country and deploy them to Ebola-affected provinces.
“The problem is to identify those fast enough to make sure that we can cover the growing need,” he explained.
“Every treatment centre that is fully staffed and functional means more life saved and a stronger chance of bringing this outbreak under control.”
Ebola Spreads Beyond Initial Epicentre
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Several vaccines and treatments are being tested.
The outbreak has affected areas where state presence is weak, health infrastructure is limited and armed groups have operated for decades.
Fontana said most patients initially arriving at treatment centres came from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province.
However, patients are now arriving from villages “far beyond” the epicentre.
He described the development as “a clear sign” that the outbreak is spreading and said the WHO response “must adapt”.
Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.
The previous worst Ebola outbreak in the DRC, between 2018 and 2020, killed nearly 2,300 people out of about 3,500 reported infections.
