Ebola patients in the DRC are complaining that they are suffering from severe hunger, which is why they are fleeing hospitals to find food and then returning
NSANZIMANA SylverJun 20, 20262 min read
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Ebola patients in the DRC are complaining that they are suffering from severe hunger, which is why they are fleeing hospitals to find food and then returning.
Doctors and aid workers treating Ebola patients in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are facing a serious health crisis. The problem is that patients are fleeing and are struggling to find food because hospitals are unable to feed them.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that as of June 17, 2026, 896 people have been confirmed to be infected with the Ebola virus of the Bundibugyo strain. Of these, 232 have .The WHO also reports that 6,367 people who have come into contact with Ebola cases have been identified. This includes 4,659 in Ituri Province, 1,628 in North Kivu and 80 in South Kivu.
Health authorities indicate that among the obstacles to the measures to combat this epidemic are the lack of sufficient equipment to test those with symptoms. There is also a lack of enough beds to accommodate patients. Another is that some citizens do not feel that they are at risk, calling it a lie, which makes it difficult to implement prevention measures.
Another problem that is plaguing doctors and emergency services is the lack of food to feed patients who are hospitalized or who are in quarantine with symptoms of the disease. Patients are fed up with waiting for long periods for food to be delivered. As a result, they are fleeing hospitals and looking for food in the community. This is increasing the risk of spreading the disease to the higher echelons.
David Stevenson, the director of operations for the World Food Programme (WFP) in the DRC, said that those who were helping the sick would also be seeking help to avoid starvation. “They would come, knock on doors, and say, ‘We need food aid to fight Ebola.’ That’s when I saw these things,” David said.
The African Union Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that without urgent action on the challenges ahead, the pandemic could kill more people than in previous years. The Africa CDC is calling on partner countries to urgently provide assistance in the form of food, medical supplies, and health workers to prevent further outbreaks.
Tuganire newsroom
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