In Katwa, in the town of Butembo, North Kivu, the situation is particularly worrying. Many patients are receiving treatment too late, and the rise in deaths despite medical care means that many families have lost confidence and are delaying seeking treatment.
For our partner Etoile du Sud (EDS), it is essential to rebuild trust and work alongside communities. Since the start of the outbreak, 52 people from 26 EDS community organisations are taking action in their neighbourhoods to provide information, address concerns and combat misinformation.
This epidemic is affecting Congolese people in the east, who are already facing war, occupation, forced displacement and constant insecurity.
«We are losing our people every day because of all these wars that have been forced upon us, and now, on top of that, the Ebola virus disease.», says Billy Mwangaza of EDS.
Billy was due to attend ManiFiesta to bear witness to this reality. But the pandemic prevented him from doing so: he was stranded at the border between Uganda and the DRC. His absence highlights the isolation faced by communities in the east of the country.
Yet his message must get through to us:
«We are doing our best to persevere and carry on with our lives, but now, more than ever, we need your support. In the face of all these challenges, we need solidarity, unity and collective action.».
This appeal must not go unanswered. We must continue to support EDS on the ground, ensuring that its members’ voices are heard and rallying alongside them.
*National Institute of Public Health (INSP) of the DRC, Situation Report on the Ebola virus disease outbreak, No. 122, 13 September 2026
