Panic erupted in the Democratic Republic of Congo after an angry crowd stormed Nyakunde Hospital in Ituri Province, forcing Ebola patients and medical workers to flee in an incident that has dealt a major blow to efforts to contain one of the country’s worst Ebola outbreaks in recent years. The attack has heightened fears that the deadly virus could spread even further as health authorities struggle to track infected patients who escaped during the chaos.
According to hospital officials, the violence began after the death of a pregnant woman who had been admitted with severe anaemia. Her relatives reportedly offered to donate blood, but medical personnel declined because Ebola emergency protocols prohibit blood transfusions under such circumstances. Following the woman’s death, angry family members and supporters allegedly attacked the hospital, hurling stones, damaging parts of the facility, and overwhelming security around the treatment centre.
The assault forced doctors, nurses, and humanitarian workers to abandon the hospital for their own safety. Electricity to the facility was disrupted after the generator stopped functioning, while several Ebola patients fled in the confusion. Health officials said about 10 Ebola patients were receiving treatment when the attack occurred, but only a few remained at the hospital after the mob dispersed, leaving authorities racing to locate those who escaped before they unknowingly transmit the virus to others...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The incident has further complicated Congo’s response to its 17th Ebola outbreak, which has spread rapidly across the northeastern Ituri Province. Health experts have repeatedly warned that community mistrust, misinformation, insecurity, and attacks on healthcare facilities continue to undermine efforts to isolate infected persons, trace contacts, and prevent new infections. Similar attacks on health workers were recorded during previous Ebola outbreaks, resulting in the deaths of medical personnel and severe disruptions to emergency operations.
The worsening security situation prompted humanitarian organisation Samaritan’s Purse to evacuate its staff from the area, while some critically ill patients were reportedly left behind because they were too weak to escape. The evacuation has raised concerns about the continuity of medical care in one of the hardest-hit regions battling the deadly disease.
Health authorities say the outbreak has already claimed hundreds of lives and continues to spread at an alarming rate, with many new infections linked to unknown chains of transmission. Experts fear that attacks on hospitals and the growing distrust of health workers could significantly weaken containment efforts, making it more difficult to stop the virus before it spreads to more communities and neighbouring countries.
The latest violence serves as another reminder that combating Ebola requires more than medicine alone. Public cooperation, trust in health authorities, and the protection of frontline medical workers remain essential if the Democratic Republic of Congo is to bring the deadly outbreak under control before the humanitarian crisis worsens even further.
