Medical teams in Goma face mistrust from relatives of Ebola victims
In Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, medical teams responding to an active Ebola outbreak are running into mistrust and resistance from the families of those who have died and from local communities. The public health response is slowing in a conflict zone, raising the risk of cross-border spread.
Field health workers in Goma described families refusing safe burial protocols and, in several cases, blocking voluntary testing and quarantine requests. A WHO field representative said the mistrust was rooted in years of armed conflict in the area, scepticism from past Ebola responses, and circulating disinformation. Local civil society groups have asked community leaders to engage in mediation.
The Congolese health ministry reported seven new cases and four deaths in the past week. Joint teams from WHO and Médecins Sans Frontières are being set up, and humanitarian agencies are working to secure safe passage for medical staff through territory held by M23 and other armed groups. Not medical advice.
Neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda have stepped up thermal screening and voluntary testing at border crossings. Africa CDC said the outbreak risked spreading to two additional provinces in the coming weeks. If the outbreak is not contained, regional trade and humanitarian corridors could be disrupted.
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